


The Second World

by itislacey



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Angels, Angst, Fluff, Happy Ending, Implied Kidnapping, M/M, Magic, Mentions of Death, Phandom Big Bang 2017, Wings, Wings AU, angel au, but no actual death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-08
Updated: 2017-11-07
Packaged: 2019-01-31 00:11:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 31,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12664299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itislacey/pseuds/itislacey
Summary: On the eve of Dan’s twenty-fourth birthday, nothing seems to be going right. His parents are acting weird, and even he feels a little funny. It’s not until later that night on his actual birthday, do things start going downhill. Someone has come for him - and he claims he’s there to bring him home. It’s not long after that Dan finds out he’s actually an angel to a place below heaven, and he was stolen from his home twenty-three years ago. And the answer as to why, isn’t, exactly, pretty.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!! This is my first Phandom Big Bang fic, though it isn't my first ever fic. However, if this is your first time reading one of my fics, please don't let this form a whole opinion of me if you think it's not all that great. I usually don't write fics of this magnitude, being that the longer they are, the more complicated they get! But I hope you enjoy some aspects of this story like I did.
> 
> Thanks to my awesome beta: [@innocencelonggone](https://innocencelonggone.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And also to my artist: @kingoftheants
> 
> Now go ahead and dive into my longest fic yet! Questions or comments? Leave them down below. I usually reply right away:)

He fell from the sky. 

A baby, no older than a day, wrapped in a light blue blanket as tight as can be, had fallen from his world, down to the one below. Earth. 

“Where is he!?” the baby’s mate wailed with pain. “Why can’t I feel him anymore!?” Tears tracked down the older man’s face as he sobbed, searching - desperate - for any sign that his mate was still alive somewhere. He couldn’t feel the baby’s emotions like he had since he was born. It was like he no longer existed. Like he just . . . vanished. 

As the elder cried with pain and grief, his father, the king, rested a firm hand on his shoulder. He looked down at his son, feeling oh, so sorry for him. It was absolutely painful to have a mate ripped away, and it rarely ever happened. “We will find him, Philip,” he said to his son. “I’ve sent the troops to look for him. They will find him. I swear it.” 

Philip sat up, tears tracking down his face and staining his cheeks. “What if they don’t?” he sobbed. “What if they never do?”

“You cannot afford to think like that. You need to stay positive and hopeful. He is down there somewhere. Besides, his magic will settle at twenty-four. If it takes us that long to find him, then his magic will lead us right to him.”

“He can die down there! Humans are  _ mortal.  _ He will age and grow old, Father! What if we find him when it’s too late?” Philip’s mate had twenty-four years until he absolutely had to be found, but twenty-four years was nothing to an immortal. Philip had lived for over a hundred, each day flying by like the last. Not only that, but how was he expected to wait that long to see him again?

The king looked at his son, smiling sadly. “We have the best troops anyone could ask for, Philip. It won’t take more than that to find him. I am sure we will find him soon enough.”

Philip nodded, wiping his cheeks with the back of his hand. “I want to help look for him. Maybe . . . Maybe if I’m in the same world as him, I will be able to feel him again.” Even he knew that was a reach, but he couldn’t sit in the palace, day after day, waiting for the troops to return with his lifelong companion. It would be unbearable. 

“You can try, Philip. I am not sure if that will work, but you can try. Just,  _ please  _ take a vial of youth with you. If you aged like a mortal at this point, I do not know what would happen.” 

“I will, Father. I will. I’m going to find him.”

“I know you will,” the king said, proud of his son for gathering his bearings, despite the pain that rippled through his soul. “He is waiting for you. Go find Daniel.” 

And without another word, Philip ran to the lower level of the palace and took a vial of youth, threading it through a string and wearing it around his neck. He didn’t plan on having to use it. He planned on finding his mate in less than a year - the time he would have to take the youth. 

Philip went to the far end of his land, standing on the edge of where his world and the earth’s atmosphere met, peering down into the opening. His mate  _ fell  _ through that. Or better yet, was  _ taken  _ through that. The baby was much too young to venture over here, and even if he could walk this way, the guard would have prevented his fall. 

He stood with his white wings taut, the breeze ruffling the soft feathers. 

This was planned. Someone had taken his mate and thrust him down to Earth - the worst land anyone could live in. And once Philip found his mate, he was going to find who did this next. And he was going to make them pay.

**Twenty-three years later**

Dan walked home slowly, deciding there was no point in rushing anymore, considering he was already soaked from the rain. By this point in his life, he knew to expect rain at least once a day since it  _ was  _ England. He couldn’t remember the last time it  _ didn’t  _ rain. The hard part was knowing when it would happen, and today, Dan was unlucky enough to get caught in it.

He wasn’t far from his home now, though he knew his mum would be upset that he was dripping wet and that the bottom of his pants were covered in mud, but there wasn’t much he could do about that. His raincoat didn’t  _ repel  _ rain, it only kept him warm from it. And no one in the house owned an umbrella, though he felt like they should. It rained enough for him to be able to use it.

As Dan reached the edge of the town, he was able to see his old, rickety house by the woods. There was a lone path of gravel that led to it, and the only people that used it were Dan and cab drivers who needed to turn around. Other than that, no one ever walked down the path and to the house. They probably thought it was abandoned and days away from collapsing. 

Dan would know, he’s had these thoughts himself plenty of times.

It wasn’t the best house anyone could live in, but it was still a place to be shielded from the elements and a place to sleep, so Dan didn’t mind it all that much. Besides, it’s all he’s ever known.

When Dan stepped through the front door, his mum spotted him instantly, frowning deeply at the sight before her. Dan smiled wryly, shrugging as if to say  _ what can you do?  _

“Honestly, you couldn’t have waited until the rain stopped to walk home?”

“It started when I was halfway.” Dan peeled off his wet jacket, hanging it on the hook by the front door. It dripped water onto the hardwood floor, which was already ruined from dripped clothing over the years. The patch was medium sized and paler than the rest of the wood, giving way to years and years of water droplets. 

His mum sighed, going back to her cooking. “Just hang everything up there and let it dry. I’ll see if I can find some soap to wash them later.” They had no washer or dryer, making it hard to have fresh clothes all the time. That was Dan’s only jacket. If it had to be washed  _ and  _ dried, he couldn’t go out anywhere until his mum gave it back to him and said it was good as new. 

“It’s just some water, Mum. It’s not really dirty.” 

“It is to me. I want you to wear clean things, Daniel.”

Dan didn’t really see why it mattered. Unless he was going to a formal affair or something, he was fine with slightly dirty clothes. As he said to her, it was only water. His jeans could do with a washing, but if she wanted to wash it all, then so be it. 

He stripped down to his boxers, quickly running up the stairs to his bedroom to put on a new pair and some dry clothes. He wore black sweats and a gray tee - his favorite outfit of choice. They were loose and comfy to wear, and also perfect for the beginning of June. It wasn’t hot yet, but it wasn’t warm enough to wear shorts just yet, either.  

“Dan! Dinner is ready!” his mum shouted. Dan made his way back downstairs and to the table where his plate of beans and . . . (chicken?) were waiting. Sometimes dinner was questionable, considering they couldn’t afford many name brand, top notch things. Dan ate whatever he was served, grateful that he even had food to eat. Some people weren’t as lucky. 

As they sat at the dinner and ate quietly, Dan noticed his dad wasn’t there. “Where’s Dad?”

His mum finished swallowing her food before 

saying, “He had business to take care of. Said it couldn’t be done tomorrow.” 

Yeah,  _ that  _ didn’t sound sketchy. “Surely it’s not that important that he had to miss dinner.” His dad  _ never  _ missed dinner.

She only shrugged. “He wants to be around for your birthday. After all, you will be twenty-four.” 

Dan snorted. “Twenty-four is just like twenty-three. Meaning, not that big of a deal.” Twenty-one was understandable. Hell, even eighteen was. But twenty-four? There was nothing special about it. It was just shy of twenty-five, so he wouldn’t even be halfway to thirty. He could already drink, drive, and buy tobacco, so there was nothing left to do.

“It is a big deal,” she said solemnly. 

Dan paused, his fork midway to his mouth. “Why do you say that?” He set down his fork, leaning back in his chair and raising one brow in waiting. 

“I’m not sure your father wants me to tell you,” she whispered quietly. “You’ll see. If not for yourself, then he will tell you.”

Dan felt kind of nervous. It was just another birthday, yet she was making it sound like it was his last. What was she so worried about, anyway? “And why can’t you?” He had to admit, waiting until possibly tomorrow to know what had his mum in such a down mood, kind of made him anxious. Were they going to kick him out? Was he finally too old to still be living with them? He had no job. He couldn’t just go rent a place to live, and it’s not like they could, either. Dan had been fired from his last job for being late too much. He blamed it on the walking distance. He had no money for a cab or bus, and he had no bicycle to speed it up. He had even tried waking up earlier and leaving earlier, but he couldn’t always predict how much traffic there would be between home and work. He wasn’t the only person in London trying to go to work at the same time as everyone else. 

“Not my place to say,” she finally said, looking at him with sad eyes. “Just . . . finish eating, please.” 

Suddenly, Dan lost his appetite. She couldn’t be cryptic like that and expect him to just forget about it! “Mum-”

“No, Daniel,” she said sternly, giving him  _ the look.  _ “Don’t ask me about it again.” 

“Fine,” Dan grumbled, setting his fork down with force before pushing away from the table and storming back to his room. It had to be bad if she didn’t even want to tell him. She wanted his father to do it. They were kicking him out. Dan knew it. What else could it be? 

He threw himself on his bed, shoving his face in his pillow. He figured he should start packing essentials, or even think about where he was going to live from now on and off what money. Maybe he would go back to his old work and ask for his job back. Yeah, that could work. He could tell them he moved closer and wouldn’t be late anymore. 

Dan groaned, hitting his fist off the headboard to his bed. He turned so he was on his back, facing the ceiling, and did his best not to cry. His parents simply didn’t want him around anymore. Technically they could have kicked him out at eighteen, but they probably hoped he would leave on his own. Since Dan showed no signs of doing so, they were going to take matters into their own hands. And do it on his birthday, no less!  _ How shitty,  _ Dan thought. 

As Dan moped in his room, alone, he heard the front door downstairs open and close loudly. His dad was home. Dan had no doubt they were going to have  _ the talk  _ soon. 

So in attempts to avoid it, Dan quickly grabbed a towel from the corner of his room and ran to the bathroom to start a shower. 

He stood in there until the water ran cold, and finally decided to get out when he started shivering. He was able to stall for about forty minutes, which in his mind, was forty minutes good enough. Dan had never been one to face the music and take it well. He remembered when he would get scolded when he was younger for doing something, and crying hard because of it. It didn’t matter if he felt bad or was just plain angry, he couldn’t help the tears that often pooled in his eyes when it came to confrontation.

Once he quickly got dressed and swung open the bathroom door, his mum was standing against the wall, arms folded across her chest. “Are you done?”

“Depends.”

“Quit stalling. We don’t want to have this conversation, either, but we have to before-”

“Mary!” Dan’s father, Jonathan, hollered from downstairs. “Come here!” 

His mum groaned lowly, giving Dan a look. “I’m not done. Be downstairs in ten.” She pushed off the wall, heading downstairs to her waiting husband.

Once she was gone, Dan breathed out a sigh of relief. A little longer. He still had a little longer before the inevitable. So he went to his room and shut the door behind him, going over to his window to look out of it. He could see the city from his place, though it was a bit hard to see due to the fog and rainfall that had rolled in. He had always wondered why his parents lived all the way out here, rather than somewhere in the city. It was pricey there, sure, but there  _ were  _ places for lower prices, depending on the neighborhood. To Dan, living this far away was inconvenient. 

As he stared out the window, he was able to make out three figures walking towards his house. He squint his eyes for a better look, but he could barely make them out. They were too far, and the air was too clouded.

He shut his black curtains, leaving his room to go downstairs (and  _ not  _ because his mum told him to be there in ten). He turned the corner, seeing his parents standing in the middle of the kitchen, talking his harsh whispers. He didn’t really want to interrupt their moment, but no one ever came to their home uninvited. 

“Daniel,” his mum said, cutting off whatever his father was about to say. “Are you-”

“Someone’s coming to the house,” he said. “Well, not  _ someone.  _ It’s a trio.” 

The color in his mum’s face drained as she looked at Jonathan. “They can’t possibly know yet. It’s still the tenth.” 

“They don’t,” Jonathan replied. “But I’m sure they have a hunch.” 

“Mum? Dad? What’s going on?” Dan asked, suddenly feeling anxious. His parents had been acting weird for the past week, but today was exceptional. They were being extra odd, and that alone was enough to make Dan’s anxiety rise. He hadn’t had an attack in a couple of years, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t have one now.

“Dan,” his mum said a bit breathlessly. She rushed over to him, resting her hands on his shoulders. “Go up to your room and shut the door. Don’t make a sound, okay?”

“But-”

“Please, Dan. I’ll explain why after they’ve gone. Just do this for me.”

“Okay.” He looked into his mother’s eyes for a second longer before dashing up to his room and shutting the door, locking it for extra measure. He was told not to make a sound, but he wanted to hear what was going on, so he sat down next to his door, and pressed his ear to the crack, hoping he could catch at least something good.

After a few minutes of nothing, Dan was about to just lie on his bed and take a nap, but the sound of heavy banging on the front door downstairs jarred him from his drowsiness, suddenly making him go on high alert. He heard the familiar squeak of the door opening, followed by his mother’s voice. 

“Gail? I haven’t seen you in so long!” she exclaimed.

_ So they know who it is,  _ Dan thought.  _ Well, that’s boring.  _ Still, it didn’t explain why he had to pretend to not exist. 

“Hello, Mary,” the woman - Gail - replied solemnly. 

“What brings you here?” Mary asked. “Would you like to come in?”

“You shouldn’t be here,” Jonathan, his dad, said. “We left for a reason. We were told we would never be bothered again. What do you want?” 

Dan could barely believe his father’s rudeness. He had never really been the rude type, not until as of late. Even then, Dan couldn’t figure out what his deal was.

“Excuse me?” Gail said, voice full of disbelief. “You haven’t been bothered in thirty years. The only reason I am here now is because the world is in danger. We need the savior.” 

Jonathan scoffed. “That’s not my world anymore. It’s  _ yours.  _ And what savior? Why can’t any of you save it?”

“No one has pure magic. Only the savior - the prince’s mate - the long lost baby. Whatever you want to call him, has pure magic. Thing is, we don’t know where he is.”

“And why would we?” he snapped back. “We didn’t even know Prince Philip had a mate. He didn’t when we left.”

“He had one twenty-three years ago. So, I suppose you wouldn’t know. However, his twenty-fourth birthday is approaching, meaning his magic will settle. You know what else that means? His magic will beacon - and lead us right to him.”

Dan froze. His heart stopped beating for a split second as his blood turned to ice.  _ He  _ was turning twenty-four  _ tomorrow.  _ Surely it was a coincidence? It had to be. He didn’t have  _ magic.  _ Hell, magic didn’t even exist! It was illusions at best, and Dan never could do a decent magic trick. So what was this lady on about? 

“Your point?” Jonathan sneered.

“I know you two are no longer angels of the Second World, but our race solely depends on this boy. If you see the beacon or feel it, you are to report to us with information immediately. Once he is found, you will never be bothered again. That is a promise.”

What the fuck? Angels of the Second World? What the hell did that mean? The palms of Dan’s hands grew sweaty with worry. If anything, the lady downstairs was a little crazy in the head. He shouldn’t be worried. What was there to even be worried about? 

“We were promised something similar thirty years ago,” Jonathan spat. 

Mary cut in, saying, “We will let you know if we see anything.”

There was a beat of silence, and Dan could only assume it was filled with glares and dirty looks, until Gail said, “Thank you,  _ Mary.  _ I will be on my way.” 

The door downstairs shut with a loud bang, and then there was nothing. His parents didn’t even utter a word, and as much as Dan would like to go downstairs and ask what the hell just happened, he didn’t. Instead, he opted for the comfort of his bed, lying on top of the covers and staring at the last sliver of daylight that crept past his curtains. It was a little early for bed, but he knew if he fell asleep, his mum wouldn’t bother him. So maybe a long nap wouldn’t hurt. And maybe it would even cure the headache he felt coming on. 

Dan turned over, facing the white wall that used to be covered in posters years ago. He blinked at it until he grew drowsy, letting sleep take him away. He could only hope his mum stayed true to herself and didn’t disturb him as he slept.


	2. Chapter 2

Dan woke up to a loud bang. He bolted upright in his bed, slightly sweaty and panting. He hadn’t been having a nightmare, as far as he could recall, so why was he worked up? 

The bang sounded again, and Dan knew immediately that it was someone at their front door. Could it be Gail? Did she come back? Did his parents have whatever information she had been looking for earlier? The questions wouldn’t stop forming, and just as he was about to get out of bed to get the door himself, the banging stopped. So maybe she gave up? 

He thought about changing into his pajamas and going back to sleep when the banging moved to his bedroom window, causing him to jump and trip backwards over a pile of laundry. His heart pounded wildly, and fear clawed its way up his throat. 

“Open up!” a voice thundered, but it wasn’t from his window, it was from the front door downstairs. 

Dan stood up on shaky legs, debating on if he should peel back the curtain to his window or not. The tapping on it had stopped, but that didn’t mean whoever it had been, wasn’t still out there. He was about to swallow his fear and just go look until he heard his dad’s voice downstairs, booming with profanities. 

“Get the fuck off of me! You have no right to be here!”

“Like hell we don’t!” a female voice, one that Dan recognized as Gail, shouted. 

“Where is he!?” a new voice said, sounding low and threatening. It caused a beat of silence downstairs, and Dan took that as his cue to leave. He couldn’t help but think the people downstairs were there for  _ him.  _ He was the only other male in the house, and the guy distinctly said  _ where is  _ he. 

Dan tore down his curtains, unlatching the window and sliding it up and open, thankful for once that there wasn’t a screen blocking his way. He looked down at his porch first, making sure no one was there that could see him. When he saw it was clear, he swung his legs over the side and drew a shaky breath. He was on the second story, and he wouldn’t be killed if he fell, but he would most likely break a limb. Heights weren’t really his favorite, but he could shove his fear down long enough to grip the rusted gutter, and use that to slide down the side of the house.

Metal dug into his skin, slicing his palms open deeply. Blood soaked his hands in minutes, though he couldn’t feel the pain. Adrenaline was coursing through him, screaming at him to  _ run, think later.  _ Which is exactly what he did.

His feet hit the ground with a thud, and he briefly looked at his blood soaked hands. He clenched his fists, and looked up when he saw the light to his bedroom flicker on. Whoever was in there would definitely notice the window second, right after they noticed Dan was no longer there. He bolted away from his house, running towards the looming woods that he had been in only a handful of times.

“Daniel, wait!” a voice shouted after him.

_ Shit, shit, shit,  _ Dan’s mind echoed. He was spotted. However, he still kept running, ignoring the burning feeling in his legs and hands as he pushed on, trying to get away from the intruders. He hadn’t thought  twice about his parents, and now that he did, the guilt consumed him. He just  _ left  _ them there. As people invaded their home, he ran and left them. How could he do such a thing? Why didn’t he think of them first? 

_ Selfish.  _ The word rattled around in his head, adding on to the headache that had formed a few hours ago before Dan had fallen asleep. 

Twigs cracked under Dan’s bare feet, and he barely registered the pain of them stabbing the bottom of his foot. He darted through the trees, thinking that maybe he had gotten away, when he tripped over a tree root and crashed to the ground, getting the breath knocked out of him.

“Daniel!” the same voice called, slightly panicked. “Please come out! We’re friendly, I swear!” 

Despite the man’s claims, Dan didn’t believe him. If they were friendly, they wouldn’t have forced their way into his home or chased him down. 

He scrambled into an upright position, pressing his back into the nearest tree trunk, hoping they wouldn’t be able to see him in the dark. He was becoming more aware of the pain in his hands, along with the dull throb in his ankle from where he fell. 

“I know you’re scared, but you don’t have to be,” the man said, his voice growing dangerously closer. “I’m here now. It’s okay, Daniel. Please don’t be afraid of me.”

Dan held his breath, holding his knees tightly to his chest.  _ Please don’t be close, please don’t be close,  _ he chanted to himself.

“Daniel?” he said, sounding to be right in front of him, but Dan was too scared to open his eyes and face him. “Will you open your eyes for me?”

Dan shook his head, keeping his eyes squeezed shut. He refused to open them. 

“I said I wouldn’t hurt you, and I mean it. I would never hurt you, Daniel. Don’t you know that?” 

Dan opened his mouth to speak, and to no surprise, his voice wavered. “W-Why would I as-assume that?”

The man was quiet for a minute, but soon said, “Do you know who I am?” 

“Sh-Should I?” Dan could feel his anxiety rising as he spoke. He knew he was going to have an attack soon enough. There was no way he could convince himself everything was fine so he wouldn’t have one.

“I’m Phil,” Phil told him, his voice breaking. “Or Philip. Do I not ring a bell?”

“N-No.” Dan didn’t know anyone by that name. But from the way Phil talked, Dan felt like he was supposed to know who he was. 

“Okay,” Phil breathed, sucking in a breath. “Will you come back to the house with me? Your parents are there. They can tell you some things.”

Going back to the house sounded nice, but only if Dan were to walk in and see his parents only. No Phil, no Gail. Just the Howells. That’s all he wanted.

“Open your eyes?” Phil said, carefully making sure it sounded like a question, rather than a command. Dan was terrified out of his mind. Phil didn’t want to add on to it if he could help it. 

Dan began shaking, his throat closing up. He didn’t feel threatened by him like he felt he should. Instead, he was just scared. “I . . . ‘M scared,” he mumbled. 

“It’s okay,” Phil said gently. “No one is going to hurt you. Especially me. Let’s go back to your house so you can talk to your parents, okay? Will that make you feel better to see them?” 

Would it? Dan wasn’t sure. His parents had been weird all week, and mostly last night. And with everything that had happened in the span of five hours, Dan was almost terrified to find out what was actually going on. Even if the back of his mind was urging him to investigate. So very slowly, Dan relaxed his eyes, letting them flutter open and adjust to the darkness around him. Phil was a good few meters away, but still close enough where Dan could make out his tall figure. As his eyes raked over him, his breath hitched when they landed on the giant, feathery wings spread out behind him, longer than the man himself.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Phil said, suddenly startled. “What’s wrong?”

“W-W-Wings!” Dan sputtered out, finding the oxygen 

in his lungs to be rather lacking. He couldn’t breathe in, the panic of seeing a man with  _ wings  _ too terrifying to deal with. People didn’t have  _ wings.  _ No one did! “You have wings!” Dan shrieked. “Get away from me!”

“Daniel-”

“No! What the hell are you!?” he cried. If he could crawl away, he would have, but the tree was in his way. He could only coward against it. 

“Calm down! I’ll put them away, okay?” In seconds, they were gone. “They’re gone, yeah? See? It’s alright, just please calm down. I don’t want you passing out on me.” 

“Tell me!” Dan screamed. “What are you!?”

Phil only looked at him, heartbreak crossing his features. “You don’t know,” he stated sadly. “They never told you.” 

Dan’s breathing grew shorter and shorter, and despite the darkness of the night that already surrounded him, his vision began to swim and dots danced in his eyes. The guy in front of him - Phil - had  _ wings.  _ Actual, feathery  _ wings,  _ that shouldn’t exist. 

Gail’s words haunted his mind then, constantly repeating,  _ angels of the Second World.  _

_ Angels.  _

_ Angel. _

Is that what Phil was? An  _ angel?  _ Dan was unaware of Phil speaking to him, trying to get him to calm down some. His breath was coming out in short pants, and he was helpless to prevent it. He couldn't  _ breathe,  _ couldn't  _ think.  _

He was able to take one last breath as he heard his name frantically called, before he passed out and fell cheek first onto the forest floor.


	3. Chapter 3

“Dan, baby, wake up,” a gentle voice said as the person shook him lightly. “It's your mum. Please wake up.” She shook him a few more times, and his eyes fluttered open. He saw his mum first, and then glanced around, noting that he was in the living room on the sofa. He winced as he tried to sit up, but his mum held him down. “Rest.”

“What’s going on?” he mumbled, turning his head to the side, seeing Phil against the far wall, looking at him. He didn’t give off much emotion on his face, but Dan could tell he was tired. Sad. 

“There’s something I need to tell you,” his mum said, standing upright and looking for her husband. “Actually, there’s something  _ we  _ need to tell you.” 

Dan stayed still on the couch, looking at his mum and willing the tears to stay back. He knew what was coming wasn’t going to be good. 

“I don’t know how to say this . . .” she began. “But no matter what we say, we have always loved you. From day one.”

“Mum,” Dan whimpered. 

“You’re not our son,” his dad cut in, giving him a look of anger. “Not biologically.”

“Jonathan!” his mum scolded, smacking him on the shoulder. “We agreed to tell him lightly!”

“There’s no time. We’re being taken away in the next ten minutes.” 

“Dan-”

“No,” Dan said, cutting his mum off. “I’m not-” his voice cracked as tears fell from his eyes and down the side of his face. “I’m not your son?” Even as he said the words, he couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t their kid? For the past twenty-four years, he had been lied to? Led to believe that these people were his mum and dad? How could he have never known the truth? 

Tears streamed silently down his mum’s face as she said, “Not biologically, no. Think of us as your adoptive parents, if you will. I have always treated you like my son, and I do love you, Dan. I’m sorry things had to be this way.”

“What way? Where are my real parents?” 

“That’s where it’s tricky,” she said, sucking in a breath. “You don’t really have any.” 

Dan stared at her. What the hell does that mean? Everyone had parents. You didn’t just . . .  _ exist.  _

“You’re confused. That’s okay, let me explain.” She wiped her cheeks with her hands, thinking about how she was going to word the next part. “You come from a place where you’re . . . created. Not born from a person. You’re born from . . . magic.”

Dan scoffed. “Magic? Really.” He sat up quickly, pain searing through his skull. “I knew there was going to be some grand excuse, but I didn’t expect it to be as pathetic as this one.”

“Daniel-” Phil tried, but Dan quickly cut him off.

“No! None of this! Magic isn’t real, and don’t think I didn’t hear a word of what that Gail woman said last night. Angels? Magic? The Second World? All of this sounds like some made up shit from a fairytale. This isn’t my life. Why are you treating it like a joke?” It wasn’t  _ fair.  _ Dan didn’t deserve this! All this time, he thought they were just going to kick him out of the house since he was so old. But instead, they weaved a tale of lies and fable to tell him. 

“Dan, it’s true,” his mum urged. “I know it doesn’t sound believable, but please be open minded. You saw Philip in the woods with his wings, didn’t you? He said you did.”

Dan rolled his eyes. “A trick of the night.” 

“No, Dan!” She placed her hands on his shoulders, looking him dead in the eye. “It’s real. The Second World - it’s real. Angels, they’re real, too. Magic, winged people, all of it - real. On earth, you grow up thinking those things until you don’t. You’re taught to think that those things aren’t real. It’s just the way things are. You are an angel, Dan. Stolen away from the Second World when you were a wee baby, and brought to earth to be protected. To be  _ pure.  _ You have magic inside you.  _ Pure  _ magic. You’re the only one with it.”

Silence filled the room, the only thing to be heard were the breaths of his family. Dan could feel his heart racing as he took in her words, and slumped back into the cushion. He - an  _ angel?  _ That didn’t sound right. Even if they did exist, Dan was sure he couldn’t be one of them. He wasn’t . . . heavenly. He was dark and brooding. 

“Magic created you, Dan,” she said quietly. “You have no parents. You have what’s called a mate. And not a mate like how it’s used here in England, but a mate as in . . . a partner. A friend. A caregiver. A lover.” She looked at him, then over at Phil. “Daniel, Philip is your mate. And he’s come to take you home.” 

Dan let his gaze slide over to Phil, tears streaking down his face. Phil just looked at him with sadness, but did not cry.  _ A mate.  _ The words sounded weird as he thought of them. A mate in England was a good friend - something Dan didn’t have. In fact, Dan didn’t really have friends. He talked to people here and there, but he never had a proper guy to call a friend. He was a loner. He always had been, and he thought for sure he was always supposed to be. 

“I’m sorry you had to find out like this,” she continued, somehow still keeping her composure. “I wanted to tell you a long time ago, but your father said we couldn’t risk it. You  _ had  _ to have the best chance of having pure magic. Magic in the Second World takes twenty-four full years to fully settle. And now that it’s your birthday . . .” 

There were so many things that Dan still didn’t understand. Actually, Dan didn’t understand  _ anything.  _ Other than . . . “So I was kidnapped?” 

“I wouldn’t say-”

“I was kidnapped,” Dan repeated. “You said  _ stolen.  _ I was  _ stolen  _ from my world and placed here. You kidnapped me.” 

“I didn’t kidnap y-”

“You did!” Dan yelled, standing up abruptly. “You took me away from a life I was supposed to have with-” he paused, looking over at Phil.  _ Him,  _ he wanted to say. Dan was supposed to have had a life with Phil, apparently. As his  _ mate.  _ “All this time, I could have had  _ someone.  _ I could have had a  _ friend.”  _

Jonathan scoffed, stepping forwards. “You could have had friends all this time, Dan. It’s not our fault that your social skills are lacking.”

“Excuse me?” Phil said, body growing taut. “You are not going to talk to him like that.”

“As if I care. My job is done. I did what I was told.” 

“By who?” Phil growled. “Who did you partner up with to destroy Daniel’s life?” His hands were balled into fists at is sides.

“None of your business,” Jonathan spat back.

“I have had enough of this. Gail! Take them to their new residence. I’m sure they will fit right in with the other traitors,” Phil said sternly. 

“Dan,” his mum whispered brokenly. “I’m sorry for everything. I never wanted this life for you, but it had to be done. I’ve accepted my fate and will bear the consequences. If you don’t like me anymore - that’s fine. I understand. But know that I will always love you, and you have always been a son to me.” 

Thing is, Dan wanted to be mad. He wanted to hate her guts, yell and scream at her that she’s ruined his life, but he couldn’t bring himself to do or be any of those things. That was his  _ mum.  _ She had been for twenty-four years, and just because she made the biggest mistake of her life, didn’t make her any less of one. 

The front door opened, causing Dan to whip his head around to see who else was here. A woman with long, blonde hair walked in, flanked by two, large men in all black. They looked mean and angry, which told Dan they definitely weren’t playing around. 

The woman - Gail - walked over to his parents, gesturing for the two men to take them. They had no issue following orders, gripping them by the arms and hauling them from the living room and back outside.

Gail nodded once at Phil, then let her look linger over Dan. Her gaze softened, and she offered him half a smile. “Be gentle with him,” she said quietly, so low, only Dan could hear. “He’s been heartbroken for far too long. Let him mend it.” She left the room then, shutting the front door as she crossed the threshold. 

Dan plopped back down on the couch, closing his eyes for a second. He tried willing his headache away, though he knew it would do no good. He had only gotten about three hours of sleep, if not less, before he was rudely awakened. 

An awkward silence hung between the two, neither of them sure what to say. It wasn’t until five minutes later, when Phil cleared his throat, did he say, “Why don’t you get some sleep? I’m sure you’re exhausted.” 

Dan laughed softly. “That’s what you have to say? Get some sleep? I would have expected something more coming from you.”

Phil raised a brow out of curiosity. “Oh? What did you expect?” 

Dan shrugged. “I dunno. Questions. Commands.”

Phil snorted. “Commands? I’m not going to command you to do anything, Daniel. Or is it Dan? Do you have a preference?” 

“No,” Dan said quietly. “Most just call me Dan.” 

“Well,  _ Dan,  _ if you don’t mind me asking, there is  _ one  _ thing I’d like to do.” 

“And what’s that?” Dan was a little scared at how easy it was to talk to Phil. His dad wasn’t wrong when he said his social skills were lacking. Usually he was quiet and awkward, never knowing what to say. 

“Will you let me address the wound on your hands? It’s been making me anxious for the past hour now.” 

Dan looked down at his hands, unfurling them for the first time since he woke up. They were covered in dirt and crusted blood, the cuts probably close to infection. “I didn’t even . . .” He was vaguely aware of cutting them on the gutter as he slid down, but how was this not one of the first things he noticed upon waking? Why hadn’t anyone said anything? 

“I didn’t want to take care of them while you were out, just in case you weren’t okay with that.”

Dan appreciated the fact that he wanted to make sure he consented to it before he went ahead and did anything. However, he still felt an odd sort of discomfort about Phil taking care of him. Dan could easily do it himself, he was sure, but he let Gail’s words flow through his mind before making a decision. 

_ Go gentle with him,  _ she had said.

“Okay.” 

Phil’s face lit up at the words, and he was quick to spring into action. “You wait right here, I’m going to get some supplies.” He rushed from the living room, searching through the kitchen cabinets for the things he would need.

Dan brought his knees to his chest, resting his head between them. His heart began to race again, and he found himself scared all over again. Nothing was registering right. His parents were just taken away, he found out magic was real, and he just remembered that Phil had  _ wings.  _ Why wasn’t he acting out more than he should be? The thoughts terrified him, but his body was too tired to act on them. Maybe he should sleep. Take Phil’s advice. It was still pitch black out, and even now, Dan had no idea what time it actually was. Late in the night, he was sure.

“Dan?” Phil asked softly right next to him. Dan didn’t even realize he came back. “You don’t have to be scared of me.” 

Dan smiled slightly. “I’m not scared of  _ you.”  _

“Then what are you scared of?”

“Who said I was even scared?” Dan looked at him, puzzled. 

Phil blushed and looked away, setting down the bottle of peroxide in his hand, along with the bandages. “You know how your . . . mum said we were mates? She didn’t tell you the full extent of it.” 

Dan swallowed thickly. “What else is there to know?”  _ Other than the fact that you’re supposed to be my friend and lover for life?  _

“There’s this . . . connection. I can feel how you feel. Almost like an empath. You should be able to feel mine, too, but since you have been growing up human . . . the connection didn’t form properly. I should be able to feel more than just emotions. I should be able to feel physical pain, read your thoughts. You should be able to do the same. But we can’t. I don’t know if we ever will.” His eyes became glassy, and he blinked quickly, getting rid of the tears. “I’m sorry if that scares you, but you were going to learn eventually.” 

_ Scare  _ wasn’t the words Dan would use.  _ Uncomfortable  _ would be the one he would pick. He felt violated, in a way. These were his feelings, and he would express them if he wanted. But now, someone else would know how he felt  _ all the time.  _ Dan didn’t want that. 

“Please don’t hate me now,” Phil rushed on. “I’m sorry. It’s just the way things are in the Second World, and this shouldn’t be happening. You should have never been taken away in the first place and none of this is fair and I just-”

“Phil,” Dan said, cutting him off. “I don’t . . .  _ hate  _ you. I don’t even really know you.” How could he hate someone he just met? 

“I know,” Phil said sadly. “But you should. They should have told you, Dan. When you were growing up. I never thought . . .”

“Thought?” Dan prompted, willing him to continue. 

“I never thought the day I met my mate, I would have to tell them who I am. What I am.” 

After a few minutes of silence, Dan said, “I’m sorry.” 

“It’s not your fault. None of this is your fault, okay? You couldn’t have possibly ever known unless you were told or you grew up where you were supposed to. Don’t blame yourself for anything that's happened. I was going to find you eventually. I was never going to stop looking for you.” 

Dan looked up at him then, looking into his blue eyes. “You . . . You were looking for me?” 

“Since the moment you were taken,” Phil said. “I have never stopped looking. For twenty-three years, I have scoured this world, searching for you. And if I had to do it for twenty more, I would. If it meant finding you again, I would do anything.” 

Dan felt sadness cloud his chest. How could Phil love him so much, that he never stopped looking? He had only known him for a few hours, is what it sounded like, and then he was kidnapped from him. Dan felt bad because he didn’t return the same feelings. How could he? He might have known Phil for a few hours of his life, too, but that didn’t mean anything. He was a  _ baby.  _ A newborn. He wasn’t capable of loving or feeling anything but discomfort and hunger. It wasn’t fair that Phil had been searching for the one thing he truly loved, while the other sat around and did nothing to find his way back.

“Stop feeling guilty,” Phil ordered. “You have nothing to be guilty about.” 

Dan ducked his head, looking away. “That’s a little weird,” he murmured.

“What?”

“You knowing what I’m feeling. I can’t say I’m too keen on it.” 

Phil laughed softly through his nose. “Sorry. I can’t help it. I’ll try not to . . . pay attention, if that’s what you want.” 

Dan shook his head. “No, don’t do that. Just . . . It’s going to take me awhile to get used to it.” 

Phil took a deep breath and nodded, reaching for the medical supplies again. “Your hand, please.” 

Dan slowly moved his arm out, letting Phil grip his wrist delicately to inspect his cut up hand. It was the first time he felt his touch, though he was sure Phil carried him back home from the woods, but Dan wasn’t conscious for that to feel it. His fingers were calloused but soft, gently running over his skin as he worked on Dan’s hand. 

“This will probably hurt. But I don’t want you to get an infection, so I’m going to dump the peroxide on your hand to clean the wound out.”

“Okay,” Dan breathed out. He had a very low pain threshold, and it was probably going to sting and burn at most, but it was still pain, and still something Dan sucked at dealing with. 

“I’ll try to be quick.” He had already scraped away most of the caked blood, letting the gashes on his palms be more visible. “Ready?” 

Dan bit his lower lip, nodding in agreement as he watched the liquid pour from the bottle and onto his hands, causing them to burn more than he thought it would. He cried out in pain, squeezing his eyes shut and breathing through his nose quickly.

Phil grabbed the white bandages, and hurriedly wrapped Dan’s hands in them, letting the liquid soak into his cuts. He would probably have to change the bandages again tomorrow, unless Dan let him use magic to heal them. He had settled for the old fashion way in attempts to make him feel more comfortable. Phil wasn’t sure how Dan would feel about magic right off the bat. 

“Is that it?” Dan asked in a choked whisper. 

“Yep, all done.” Phil put the cap back on the bottle, and set the remaining bandages on the coffee table. 

“Um . . . thanks.” Heat crept up Dan’s neck as he said it, feeling somewhat embarrassed that he was twenty-four years old, and couldn’t take care of his own injuries. 

He looked up at the window, noticing the sky was turning a lighter shade of black, meaning it was early morning. He was usually still asleep by this time, or he was just going to bed in general. But now, it was officially June eleventh. 

“Happy birthday,” Phil whispered, noticing Dan’s gaze at the window. “Even if it hasn’t been great for you so far.”

Dan smiled, despite himself. “I’ve had worse,” he mumbled.

Phil’s brows knitted together. “You have? Why have you had bad birthdays? You’re only supposed to have good ones.” 

Dan shrugged. “I stopped having good ones when I was maybe ten? I don’t know, I never had parties or anything. Mostly because I had no friends to invite. My, uh,  _ mum  _ would get me something every year and bake a cake, but that was about it. This one has probably been the most eventful by far.”

The frown on Phil’s face remained, even as he said, “Then clearly you don’t remember the day you were born. The whole world was ecstatic and they celebrated for hours. You were a gift, Dan. You were  _ my  _ gift.” 

Again, Dan’s cheek heated up with an embarrassing shade of red. “Why would they celebrate my birth? What was so special about it?” 

“Are you sure you want to know?” 

“Preferably,” Dan replied. 

“You’re a prince,” he said simply. “Well,  _ I’m  _ the prince of the Second World, and since you’re my mate, technically you’re a prince, too.”

Dan’s breath hitched. A prince? First an angel, now a prince? Things were getting worse and worse. 

“I take it you didn’t like that piece of news?” Phil looked at him, lips pressed into a thin line. “I can feel dread coming from you.”

“There’s more to it than what you think,” Dan told him. “I just . . . I rather not talk about this right now.” As the minutes went on, his mind was catching up with everything that had happened so far. And as he thought about it, it was getting worse. He could feel himself clamming up again, his anxiety rising. He didn’t think he could take in any more information at the moment without completely breaking down. 

“Okay.” Phil would respect his wishes. If that’s what Dan really wanted, that’s what he would get. “Then what do you want to talk about?” 

“Nothing.” 

“Oh.” 

Dan didn’t need the connection Phil spoke of to realize he had hurt his feelings. He blew out a breath, wanting to make things right.  _ Go easy on him,  _ the voice in his head echoed. Dan had been ripped away from Phil years ago, and all he wanted to do was talk to him. Get to know him. And Dan was shutting down, doing what he did when he tried to avoid confrontation. “I’m sorry.”

“You have no need to apologize. Ever. You did nothing wrong. I don’t think you ever could.” 

Dan laughed at that. “Oh, really?”

Phil smiled, tears stinging his eyes. Dan  _ laughed.  _ A real, genuine  _ laugh.  _ It sounded beautiful, just as Phil imagined it always would be. “Really,” he said quietly. 

“Then clearly you don’t know me.” 

“I don’t. But I’m hoping to change that.” 

Dan felt a little bad for his choice of words. However, Phil didn’t seem to upset by them, so he decided not to dwell on them himself for too long. 

They sat in silence again and watched the sun rise through the front window. It was this very reason Dan had black curtains. The sun always rose in the front of their house, and Dan’s bedroom window was facing that way, causing the sun to have a direct passage into his room every morning. 

After a few moments of thinking, Dan thought that maybe it was time to face the one thing he knew Phil had been purposely avoiding for his benefit. “What now?” He said it quietly, as if speaking lower would make it any less real of a question. 

Phil looked at him and cleared his throat. “Well, we only have until the end of the day to return to the Second World. I thought that maybe you would want to sleep first before we went.” 

So this was it then. He  _ had  _ to leave his home. The only place he’s been since . . . Since he could remember. He had always lived here. Always slept in the same room - the same bed. The two hours he was in it last night were it. He wasn’t going to sleep there again. “There’s no point in it,” Dan told him. “It’s only delaying the inevitable.” 

Phil’s gaze softened as he spoke. “I know you don’t want to go. I’m sorry it had to be such an abrupt change for you. If I had my way, I would give you longer to prepare. But since you’re twenty-four . . .” 

Dan raised one brow. “What’s that have to do with anything?” 

“Twenty-four is a special age for us. It’s when magic settles, as you’ve heard, but something else settles as well.” 

Dan had a feeling he was stalling for time, not ready to tell him something else that would no doubt add on to his splitting headache. “Might as well tell me. Nothing you can say now is going to break me completely.” 

“Angels are . . . immortal, Dan. Our bodies stop progressing at this age. If you stay past this day, your body will grow older. And I don’t know what that would do to you. Actually, no one does. But I rather not have you be the first to find out.” 

Immortal. Dan was  _ immortal.  _ An angelic immortal  _ prince,  _ to be exact. What was next? Did he have his own palace, too? 

“Talk to me, Dan.” Phil moved his head lower so he could get a good look at Dan’s face. “You don’t have to face all of this on your own. I’m here for you if you need me to be. You can be scared, mad, upset. You can be whatever you feel the need to be. Just,  _ please  _ don’t keep it all to yourself.”

A tear escaped Dan’s eye as he listened to Phil talk. “You barely know me,” he sniffled. “What if you end up not liking me because I’m too much?” 

“Impossible,” Phil said surely. “I could never dislike you. Especially for expressing your feelings.” He offered him a smile, standing up tall and offering out his hand for Dan to take. “Will you come home with me, Dan? I have been waiting for far too long to keep waiting. But for you, I will. If that’s what you want.”

So considerate, he was. Always asking Dan if he was okay with something before he did it, and even telling him every decision was up to him. Well, except for staying on earth. He didn’t have a choice in that, but he had a choice in the hour, and though he didn’t think he would ever be quite ready to face his new life (or the one he should have had), he figured he might as well do it now. It didn’t matter how long he tried to wait, it was bound to happen by sunset. 

Dan looked at the rising sun again, and then back at Phil. “We can go now . . . just, can I do something first?” 

“Of course! Take your time.”

“I’ll be right back.” Dan stood up a little too quickly, his head swimming painfully. He thought that maybe he should get some medicine first, but he never had been too fond of taking pills. Besides, all he needed was a little sleep and it would go away. 

He went up the stairs and to his room, knowing exactly what he was looking for. He opened his closet and began rummaging through the piles of clothes, getting to the tiny shoebox that rested beneath them. He pulled it out, tossing the lid to the side, reaching in and pulling out a soft, baby blue blanket. The blanket itself meant nothing to him, and he didn’t know why he had kept it all these years. According to his parents, it was his when he was a baby. But now that he knew more about his “birth,” he knew something more about the blanket.

“That’s your baby blanket,” Phil said from the doorway, looking at the blanket in Dan’s hands with a sad expression. “You still have it?” His voice broke as he talked, and that made Dan’s heart crack just a bit.

“Yeah,” Dan whispered. He stood up, keeping the soft fabric bunched up between his fingers. He walked over to Phil, standing meters in front of him, holding out the blanket. “This probably means more to you than it does to me. Take it.” 

Phil carefully reached out for the blanket, letting out a tiny breath as he took it from Dan’s grasp. It was as soft as he remembered, and still as clean, too. He specifically picked out blue to match his own eyes, because he once heard mates were attracted to the color of their other half’s eyes. And since Phil’s were blue, it only made sense for Dan to have a blue blanket. And that was Phil’s favorite color. Blue and green were his top picks. 

A few tears fell silently from Phil’s eyes as he held the blanket to his cheek. “Thank you,” he sniffed. 

Dan couldn’t help but smile at the fact that he made Phil  _ happy.  _ He didn’t know why, but even after knowing him for only a few short hours, it made Dan feel something special that he made Phil feel that way. Dan never thought he could make anyone happy with something so . . . simple. 

Phil dried his tears with the back of his hands, holding onto the blanket tightly. “Why have you kept it all these years? I would have thought maybe your parents had it or it just got thrown out.” 

Dan shrugged. “I don’t know. There were plenty of times when I thought about discarding it, but something stopped me every time. I could never do it.”

“I bet it was the connection,” Phil said. “You might have been raised a human, but your body chemistry says otherwise. Your heart knew I was always there, but your mind didn’t. I guess it prevented you from cutting off the only connection to your home.” 

_ Or to you,  _ Dan almost said. But he felt that might be overdoing it. He still barely knew Phil. Sure, he had been talking to him for a while now, but he didn’t actually  _ know  _ him. He didn’t even know his last name, his favorite food. All the basic stuff, he had no clue about. Dan didn’t want to freak him out just yet. Not if he was supposed to spend  _ eternity  _ with him.

Oh, god. Eternity. 

“Dan? What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing,” Dan said quickly, too used to telling his mum that nearly everyday. It was habit by this point. 

Phil frowned. “Don’t lie to me. Your anxiety spiked out of nowhere and I can sense a small dose of fear in you, too. What are you thinking about?” 

Knowing he wasn’t able to get out of this one, Dan let out a sigh and said, “The future.” 

“Do you often think about that?” 

“Yes,” Dan admitted. “More than I probably should.” 

“You don’t have to be afraid of it,” Phil said. “I’m here. I’ll help you. You have great things waiting for you. I know it.” 

For the first time in a long time, Dan let himself hope. “You think so?”

“I know so. You just have to give it a try.” 

Dan hardly put effort into anything. He rarely tried new things, mainly because he was afraid of the outcome. But this was something  _ huge.  _ His whole life was being uprooted and planted somewhere else. He had never had to do something as big as this before. Phil had told him he was there for him, and that he would help him along the way, and oddly enough, his words comforted Dan. He believed him, and more importantly, Dan kind of liked him already. He was nice and caring. He hadn’t tried to force Dan to do anything right away, telling him he could take his time and rest for a bit. So now, after thinking, Dan was ready. “Let’s go.” 

Phil smiled widely at him, gesturing for Dan to follow as he walked down the stairs, baby blanket still in his hands, as he opened the front door and strolled outside, breathing in the fresh air. “Now, there’s only one way to get home, and I’m not entirely sure you’re going to like it.” 

_ Great.  _ “What’s that?” 

Phil scratched the back of his neck and looked up. “Well, home is up there,” he said, pointing to the sky. “We have to fly.” 

“Fly.” Dan had a feeling he didn’t mean by airplane, either. 

“Do heights scare you?” Phil asked him. 

Dan swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked at the clouds. “Maybe.” 

Phil bit his lip, deciding on what to do next. He could feel Dan’s fear churning within him, and though he didn’t want to add on to it, at this point, he didn’t have much of a choice. “I can put you to sleep,” he said. “With magic. I actually prefer that way, because if that’s the only way you will get some rest . . . I’ll gladly do it.”

Dan blinked at him. “Is it really bothering you that I haven’t gone back to sleep or even tried to?” He ignored the magic part of Phil’s words, choosing to avoid it for a little longer. He could accept that his parents weren’t actually his parents, and the whole Second World thing was still rattling his skull, but he didn’t think he could deal with  _ magic  _ right now. If it was legit, that is.

“Yes!” Phil exclaimed. “You only slept for a couple of hours before we showed up, and then you passed out for twenty minutes after having a panic attack, and I  _ know  _ you’re aching all over because of the faces you make when you move too quickly. Honestly, at this point, I’m surprised that you haven’t collapsed from exhaustion.” 

If Dan were being honest with himself, he was surprised he hadn’t passed out yet. The two hours of sleep might as well have been a power nap. His head was throbbing and there was so much to take in, it was overwhelming. “Oh.” 

“Please let me give you some sleep. I’ll fly us home and you can sleep on the way. You can even sleep once we’re home.” Phil pleaded with his eyes, hoping Dan would agree. 

“I don’t know . . . I don’t . . . But you’re using magic, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Phil answered. “It’s harmless. Just a little bit of dust that will make you drowsy. Just like cough medicine. Without the bad taste,” he added. “So in my opinion, it’s even better.” 

It  _ did  _ sound better. However, the prospect of it made him wary. 

Before Dan could say anything, Phil continued, “If I didn’t tell you about it, you would have never known I even used magic on you. Of course I’d never do that to you, but I’m only saying.” 

Sleep sounded nice, and it sounded a whole lot better than flying probably  _ thousands  _ of feet in the air, only being held in Phil’s  _ arms.  _ He was going to have to put  _ a lot  _ of trust into Phil at this moment if they were going to get anywhere. And Dan didn’t trust easily.

“Please, Dan. You can trust me.”

Dan wanted to give him reasons why he couldn’t, but the only one he could think of wasn’t fair to Phil. Dan didn’t know the whole story behind how or why he was kidnapped, and he didn’t want to blame Phil for it, mostly because he had no idea if it was even his fault for not looking out for him. “Okay,” Dan whispered. 

Phil sagged in relief, and even blew out a large breath. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! You won’t feel a thing, I promise. And when you wake up, you’ll be back where you were born. You’ll be back home.” Phil stood in front of Dan, palm flat out, with his fingers pointing towards Dan. He gently blew a breath from his lips, and as Dan looked closely, he could see pink sparkles flow from his fingertips and float towards him, hitting his face without so much as a tickle. 

Instantly, Dan’s eyes began to flutter and he swayed, knees nearly giving out on him as he began to fall. Phil caught him instantly, Dan’s head lolling to the side so it was resting on Phil’s chest. “Phil,” he slurred.

“Shh, it’s okay. Just go to sleep. You’ll be fine. I promise.” 

Dan tried to say something else, but it only came out in mumbles and hums. He got one last look at Phil before his eyes drifted shut for good, and he was fast asleep.

Phil could tell the minute he was out when Dan’s body sagged in his arms and his breathing evened out. Not only that, but he could feel no emotions radiating off of him like they had been. For the first time since Phil had found him, he didn’t feel fear or anxiety. Instead, he felt content. Comfort.

He allowed himself to look at Dan sleeping in his arms for a few more minutes before he let his wings spread out widely behind him, giving them a stretch they desperately craved. He had kept them hidden by magic, but they had also been tucked in against his back for the past few hours. 

The wind ruffled his feathers as he scooped Dan up into his arms and held him tightly. He rose his wings slowly and let them flap down hardly, sending him rocketing into the air and back home.


	4. Chapter 4

It took longer than Phil remembered to get back home, but he supposed that was because he was ecstatic that he had his mate back with him, and he could finally stay home. No more years on earth, searching for the one thing that would make his life perfect. He had found him. The wait was over.

When his feet touched the cloudy ground of the Second World, he was overwhelmed. Word had spread quickly, it seemed. People were all over the place, close to the Edge where the worlds met. They were all shouting things, asking questions and trying to look at the sleeping boy in his arms. 

“Is he okay?”

“Prince Philip! How do you feel now that you have your mate back?”

“What is the fate of his kidnappers?”

They were all questions he could barely answer himself, and just as he was about to order them all away, the familiar boom of the king’s voice rung out amongst them all, silencing them instantly. 

“Enough! Everyone return home or to your daily activities. If any of you bother my son or his mate again, you will be punished.” 

The crowd dispersed immediately, allowing Phil to see his father standing back. He wore his king attire, letting everyone know he meant business. Phil hadn’t seen him in almost a year, since the last time he had returned home to get yet another vial of youth to make sure his immortality stayed intact on earth. 

“Philip,” his father greeted, eyes falling to the boy that rested in his arms. “Is he . . .?”

“He’s fine,” Phil replied, looking down at Dan. “Just sleeping. He needed it. Badly.”

His father nodded in understanding. “Will you be taking him to the palace or your . . . holiday home?”

Phil much rather preferred to take him to his “holiday home” as his father liked to call it, but he feared they wouldn’t be left alone properly if they stayed there. However, Phil thought the palace might be too overwhelming for Dan. When Phil told him he was a prince . . . the emotions that ran through him were not what Phil would call good. “I’m going to take him to mine for a few days. Let him settle in and adjust before we do anything else. The people he was living with . . . they never told him who he truly was.  _ What  _ he truly was. He has been living as a human all these years. He’s going to need some time to adjust.”

“Very well. But know that we cannot wait forever to put things in motion. The Howell’s need to go to trial as soon as possible, and Daniel is the only witness we have. He will need to be able to tell us everything.”

It took all Phil had not to snap. “Okay.” Dan had just gotten home, and his father wanted him to attend a trial. Trials were typically long and boring, not to mention exhausting. Dan was going to need more than a few days before he was well rested and mentally healthy. “Is that all?” 

“For now, yes,” his father replied, though he looked like he wanted to say something else. “He seems like a wonderful boy, Philip. I am glad you have him again.”

“Thank you, Father.” He looked down at Dan again, who stirred in his sleep, but didn’t wake. Phil didn’t expect him to wake up anytime soon. His magic would wear off, yes, but Dan’s body was still exhausted and overworked. Phil wouldn’t be surprised if he slept for the rest of the day. 

“Very well. You may continue on home. I hope to see you two again soon.”

“You will.” Even if he didn’t want to. He was still the prince and he still had duties, unfortunately. He watched his father flap his wings strongly, heading back to the palace that was in the center of the land, and Phil let his own wings do the same, only headed in the other direction, towards his secluded home.

When Phil landed in his front yard, he instantly surrounded the perimeter in magic, allowing only a few people to cross the threshold if they stopped by. Anyone from the palace was welcome, along with a few close friends. Other than that, no one else was allowed near his home.

He carried Dan to his bedroom, using his foot to pull back the duvet, and setting him down on the blue bedsheets. He made sure his head was fully rested on the pillow before covering him up, and looking at him for a few minutes. He looked so  _ peaceful  _ as he slept, his lips slightly parted and his eyes fluttering as he dreamt. He looked the same as he did when he was a baby. 

Phil let his fingers trail over the baby blanket in his hands, wishing that Dan was still small enough to use it. He had missed out on so much of his life, and even though he had him back now, Phil was devastated. He never got to see him learn how to walk or talk, never got to teach him how to fly. 

_ Fly.  _

Dan didn’t have wings. How could Phil not have noticed this sooner? They couldn’t be concealed by magic - Dan would still feel them. In fact, Dan  _ should  _ have wings, even if he grew up on earth. So where the hell were they?

Panic settled in Phil’s chest as he thought about Dan’s lack of wings. He could still walk up here - the clouds worked just as good as solid ground did. But it wasn’t heard of for an angel to not develop wings. 

There was a knock on the front door, causing Phil to jump. He immediately went on high alert. He hadn’t invited anyone over, nor was he expecting anyone. Phil went to the front door anyway, shutting the bedroom door behind him as he walked through the house. He didn’t bother looking through the tiny peephole, knowing that whoever it was, was someone he knew. After all, the magic only allowed a few people to pass through.

When he swung open the door, he was greeted by a squealing Louise. “Where is he?! I want to meet him!” 

“Shh!” Phil hushed harshly. “He is sleeping and you’re going to wake him if you don’t quiet down. I don’t want him to wake up just yet.” 

Louise frowned. “Why not? Are you scared to interact with him or something?” 

“I’m scared of multiple things, and that’s not one of them.” He had interacted with Dan plenty already on earth. He was easy to talk to and Phil could have sworn he had some sarcastic qualities in there, but he couldn’t be too sure. He hoped he did. He wanted to know everything about Dan. 

“Then why don’t you want him awake just yet?” 

How was he to explain this? “Things are . . . complicated, Louise. When we saw the beacon and went to go get him . . . He tried to run away. Out of fear. He didn’t know what was going on or who I was or who he was. He didn’t even know  _ what  _ he was. Louise, Dan has been raised as a human this whole time.”

“No,” she gasped. “Phil, I am so sorry.”

“What’s done is done. The only thing we can do now is help him adjust. I’m just . . . I’m afraid of how he is going to act when he’s fully rested. We found him in the middle of the night. He had only slept for maybe two hours before his life was turned upside down. He was too exhausted to process things correctly. I’m afraid of how he will act now that we are here. Now that we’re home.” 

Louise rested a hand on his shoulder, looking at him sympathetically. “Don’t worry, Phil. He has you. He may not know it yet, but his soul and heart is bound to yours. As long as he’s got you, he will be okay.” 

“Will he?” Phil asked in disbelief. “He was  _ scared  _ of me, Louise. Terrified, even. He had a panic attack and passed out on me. He seemed okay after a while, but what if he wakes up and finds himself not trusting me all over again? I don’t think I can handle that again.”

“That won’t happen. You’ve been spending too much time on earth and have lost your faith. You need to remember that Dan is us. He’s  _ you.  _ He is an angel, Phil. His thoughts might be different, but his body is the same. It won’t take long for him to warm up to you. He won’t be able to help it. It’s the mate in him that’s talking, pulling him to you. He was made for you as you were made for him. Even if it took a hundred odd years for the land to create him.”

Phil smiled, despite himself. “Thanks, Louise.” Somehow, she always knew what to say to make him feel better. 

“Keep your head up. I’ll come by some other time to meet him.” She patted his cheeks and spread out her wings, taking off into the sky.

He shut the door, resting his forehead against it. He hoped Louise was right. When Dan woke up, Phil would do his best to keep him calm - without the use of magic. They were mates. He should be able to do it just fine.

Right?


	5. Chapter 5

Dan shot up from the bed, panting and sweaty. His heart pounded quickly in his chest, and his palms were sweaty. He figured that had to do with the bandages restricting airflow, and desperately wanted them off. 

The room was dark, but he didn’t need to see to be able to tear off the bandages. Just as he unwrapped the last of it, the door across the room burst open, revealing a panicked Phil.

“Dan? Are you okay? What’s wrong?” he fired off the questions, flipping on the light switch to get a better look. 

Dan sat upright in the bed, his hair damp and mouth hung open in a pant. The bandages rested around him, giving Phil a perfect look at the scabbed over cuts on his hands. He could fix them instantly, if Dan would let him.

“Phil?”

“I’m right here, you’re okay.” He took a deep breath upon seeing that Dan was okay, and that he wasn’t in any danger. Phil felt Dan have a spike of fear after hours of  _ nothing,  _ and it scared him. He moved slowly into the room, making sure to keep the door wide open. “Were you having a bad dream?”

Dan shrugged and ducked his head shyly. “I dunno.” 

“Well, it’s all okay now. You’re awake and just fine, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Dan echoed. “Fine.” He looked down at his hands, cringing at the way they looked. The cuts were dark and bumpy, with small bits of dried blood on top.

“I can fix them for you,” Phil spoke up. “There won’t be so much as a scar on them.”

Dan looked up at him, swallowing. His throat was really dry, and he wished he had a bottle of water next to him. “With magic, I assume?”

“Yes. It will be just like when you let me put you to sleep. Painless and quick.”

The idea of magic still made Dan feel odd, but if Phil could make the small pain and ugly cuts go away, then he would be willing to try it out. “Okay.”

“So you’ll let me?” Phil asked excitedly. 

“Yeah.”

Phil let go of a breath, walking over to the bedside and plucking away the bandages. He sat down on the edge of the bed and said, “Let me see them.”

Dan carefully splayed his hands in front of him, palms up, facing Phil. Phil took one hand gently in his, and used the other to sprinkle the magic onto it. The cuts sealed together seamlessly, and before Dan knew it, he had a smooth, clean palm. He watched as Phil did the same to his other hand, and the cuts on that one did the same. His palms looked like they had never been scratched before in his life. They were as good as new. “Wow,” he breathed.

“I told you,” Phil said, smiling at him. 

“Uh . . . thanks,” Dan said, a blush creeping up to his cheeks.

“It was no problem.” Phil looked down at their joined hands and reluctantly let go, not wanting to make Dan uncomfortable. He didn’t feel anything of the sort as of now, but if Phil has learned one thing so far about Dan, is that his emotions change quickly. Currently, Phil felt nothing out of the ordinary from him. He was okay.

Dan didn’t know what to do now. Phil had healed him and he had calmed down from whatever he was scared of in his sleep. His stomach growled, but he didn’t feel like eating in the slightest. He was too nervous. 

“Do you want something to eat?” Phil asked him, clearly not able to hear what Dan was thinking. It was a good thing, too. Dan feared that if Phil could hear his thoughts, then he would be allowed nothing to himself ever again. At least he was allowed the privacy of that. 

“Not really,” Dan admitted, wrapping his arms around his torso.

“Dan.” Phil looked at him, eyes pleading. “You have to eat something. When was the last time you ate?”

He only shrugged his shoulders and looked away. Why was he being so closed off all of the sudden? He had no problem (well, mostly) last night when he barely had enough sleep to function properly, and now that he was well rested, he couldn’t find the courage to talk. If anything, he should be more chatty now. But of course, Dan had never been normal. Now more than ever. 

“Don’t get all shy on me now,” Phil said lightheartedly, smiling warmly at him. “You can talk to me.” 

Deep down, Dan knew that. Phil was  _ safe.  _ He wouldn’t hurt him. It was just now that he had so much to process, he couldn’t think about the here and now. All he could think about was that he woke up in some new world, where the man before him was a prince and he might as well be, too. His parents weren’t here (if he could even call them that anymore), and he had been living a lie for twenty-four years. He was  _ kidnapped.  _ Lied to. He could barely-

“Dan,” Phil said, interrupting his thoughts. “Quit thinking so much. Please. It’s giving you anxiety which is making  _ me  _ anxious.”

“Sorry,” Dan mumbled.

“It’s okay,” Phil assured. “I just don’t want to be anxious when I have no reason to be. It will cause my mate instincts to kick in and no one likes those.”

“Why?” Dan found himself asking. Maybe learning a few things would keep his mind off the bigger things for awhile.

Phil laughed softly. “It’s like a protective mode. I will be really uptight and strict about who comes near you and does what to you. Of course, it’s like that for every mate, but typically these sorts of things happen when the bond is still fresh. Technically we aren’t newly mated, but our bond was never completed, so now our souls are playing catch up. So it’s like we are new mates. Forgive me if I’m a little overbearing or protective of you. It’s just the way things are.”

Well, at least Dan didn’t have to worry about his safety. Not that he really had been right now, but he could put those thoughts at ease if they ever arose. He hated to admit it, but he  _ did  _ feel safe around Phil. Even if he had practically broken into his home and ruined everything he knew. 

“Will you at least try to eat something? It will make me feel better if you do.”

Dan didn’t want to, but he found himself nodding anyway. He would try. Besides, it’s not like he could just stop eating altogether. He had a feeling if he did, Phil might try to force feed him just so he would live. The thought made Dan want to laugh, though it probably shouldn’t. 

Phil breathed out a small sigh, visibly relaxing. “How about you go freshen up in the bathroom and I’ll make you something simple. Will toast do?”

“Yeah,” Dan said. “Toast is fine.” 

“Alright. The bathroom is the last door down the hall and you seem smart enough to find the kitchen. That’s where I’ll be.” 

“I would hope I’m smart enough to find the kitchen,” Dan mumbled playfully. 

“There’s no doubt in my mind that you are,” Phil said with a laugh. He got off the bed and left the room first, leaving Dan to do what he needed before going to the kitchen. 

Dan looked around the room for the first time, noticing how . . .  _ simple  _ it was. It was clear that this was Phil’s room, but it appeared to be filled with things that represented  _ him.  _ Dan didn’t know why, but he didn’t quite expect things to be so . . . mundane when he came to the Second World or whatever. 

_ Does the outside look the same as home?  _ he thought, crawling out of the bed and walking slowly over to the window. He took a deep breath and pulled back the curtain, surprised to see what was in front of him. 

There was no grass on the ground. In fact, Dan concluded that it was  _ clouds  _ in place of the green blades. But the clouds weren’t white. They were almost a pink color, which is what threw Dan off. However, there appeared to be  _ trees  _ sprouting from the so called clouds, and that didn’t make any sense  _ at all.  _

In the back of Dan’s mind, he could practically hear Phil saying,  _ It’s magic, does it have to make sense?  _ But he knew it was just that: a thought. Phil couldn’t speak into his mind. 

He let the curtain drop, deciding that maybe now wasn’t the best time to get a headache over the laws of the universe. He would save that for later when Phil could explain it. So he went down the hall and found the bathroom easily, relieving himself and splashing cool water on his face afterwards. This was real. All of it. He could still barely believe it.

After he had spent enough time to himself, he went and found Phil in the kitchen, not wanting him to wait any longer than he had been already. Dan could smell the toast wafting through the air, and his stomach growled at it. 

“There you are,” Phil welcomed cheerily. “I didn’t know if you liked anything specific on your toast, so I set out a bunch of things.”

Dan looked at the breakfast bar in front of him, seeing a variation of spreads and fruit. “Thanks, but I think I will stick to plain toast for now.” Mainly because he thought he might be able to stomach it better. 

“Alright.” With the snap of Phil’s fingers, everything but the white plate of toast vanished, causing Dan’s eyes to go wide. Phil could feel disbelief and amazement coming from Dan, and he was sort of relieved that Dan wasn’t completely freaked out by the use of magic. After all, he could be worse. 

Dan sat down on the barstool and pulled his plate towards him, picking at the crust of the bread before tossing it aside. Phil was watching him curiously from across the counter, and when Dan really looked over him, he noticed a lack of something. “Where are your wings?” 

“Oh,” Phil said, surprised. That’s not what he expected Dan to talk about. “I have them glamoured. They’re there, but you can’t see them. I didn’t know if they would scare you or not, so I had them hidden.” 

“You don’t . . . you don’t have to keep them hidden. This is your world. Your . . . wings. It’s fine.” 

“If they are going to make you uncomfortable, I won’t have them out.” 

“Phil,” Dan said, his voice a tad bit whiny. “I mean it. I just . . . I wasn’t expecting them the first time I saw them. That’s why I was scared. I’m sorry if it seemed like I was scared  _ of  _ you. It was just-”

Phil held up a hand, silencing him. “Dan. You don’t have to explain yourself to me. I understand. How about I slowly reveal them and you can decide how you feel about them, yeah?” 

Since that sounded like the better option, Dan agreed. He sat in waiting, nibbling on his toast as Phil slowly let the glamour fall away, revealing the large, feathery appendages attached to his back. They were still tucked and folded behind him, and Dan guessed that it was due to the lack of room in the kitchen to spread them out. He would have thought these houses were built to be bigger to accommodate angel wing spans.

Phil felt no fear coming from Dan, so he figured he was accepting of the wings. He slowly let them expand, but not to full length due to the space of the kitchen. Ever so slowly, he let the tip of his right wing extend towards Dan, until it was meters away from his face.

Time seemed to slow as Dan swallowed his piece of toast and carefully lifted his arm, letting his index finger extend out in front of him until it was lightly touching the feathered wings. Phil was careful not to flinch away from the contact, as he didn’t want to spook Dan at all during this time. 

Dan’s finger gently stroked the feathers, and he relished in the way they felt against his skin. They were smooth and soft, and almost comforting to touch in a way. 

As Dan stroked Phil’s feathers, Phil watched Dan’s face closely, looking for any signs of . . . discomfort? Joy? The mating bond was still forming between them, now that Dan was back, and Phil could feel his soul trying to connect to Dan’s in all the ways it should. However, Phil could feel no evidence of Dan’s soul reaching out for his. He should be able to feel it, but he didn’t. Not fully. It was like he could sense it, but it was dormant. Like his magic.

“They’re . . .” Dan whispered quietly. “Nice.”

“Thank you,” Phil said just as quietly, still trying to keep the moment in place. 

Dan let his arm drop slowly back onto his lap, though he still admired them from looks alone. He sat and pondered for a moment. He was supposedly the same thing as Phil, but he had no wings. He should, shouldn’t he? “Why don’t . . .  Why don’t I have wings? If I’m an angel, too,” he added.

“I actually don’t know,” Phil admitted. “I wondered the same thing not long ago. You should have them, regardless of the world you grew up in. This is most likely a question for my father. Or even a healer.” 

_ Great,  _ Dan thought. If he wasn’t already different from everyone else here, this only made things worse. He wouldn’t be able to blend in when he went outside. He wouldn’t look like everyone else, and that would only draw more attention to him.

“What’s wrong, Dan?” Phil had his wings back behind him, though he didn’t glamour them. 

Dan shook his head, waving him off. “Don’t worry about it.”

“I’m your mate. I’m  _ supposed  _ to worry about it,” he replied with a wry smile. “You can tell me anything. Even if you think it’s silly.” 

“I’m fine.” 

Phil didn’t believe him, but he wasn’t going to press him on the matter. “Is there anything you want to do? Any questions you want me to answer?” Phil had actually been surprised at the lack of questions. He expected Dan to ask him more than what he had since he had been awake.

“No,” Dan said, but then quickly changed his mind and asked, “Actually . . . can we go outside?” 

“Of course! If that’s what you want, then we can do it.” Yet again, Phil didn’t expect going outside to be the one thing Dan wanted to do. He must have looked out the window earlier, and now Phil understood where the random wave of confusion came from when he went to make Dan his toast. 

Phil walked around the counter and through the living room, standing near the front door. Dan slid off the barstool and followed after Phil, standing in front of the door Phil was blocking. He raised one brow at him, questioning.

“I don’t want you to be scared when you go outside. The ground isn’t anything like you’re used to, but I promise it’s just as safe. I would never let you out the front door if it wasn’t.” 

“Then why do you fly if the ground is so safe?” Dan countered.

Phil chuckled. “Why have wings if we aren’t going to use them?” 

Dan huffed out a sigh of defeat, squinting against the light that flooding through the doorway when Phil opened it. He looked out the doorway, seeing the same scenery he saw from Phil’s bedroom. He had the urge to run through the door and just  _ explore,  _ but something was holding him back. 

He slowly made his way to the front door, leaning outside of it and feeling the fresh air hit his face. It felt the same as Earth, but it looked nothing alike. The  _ clouds  _ on the ground were pink like Dan had seen earlier, but even the air around him seemed to have a twinge of pink to it. If he looked hard enough, he could have swore there were sparkles floating through the air as well. It was odd to say the least, but nothing in the last twenty-four hours had been  _ normal.  _

“You can step out,” Phil said from beside him, noticing the way Dan wouldn’t completely cross the threshold. “I’m right here.” 

“It’s safe?” Dan asked again for confirmation. It didn’t look safe at all, so naturally, he didn’t feel safe stepping outside.

“Yes, I promise.” 

“If it’s so safe, how did I get down to Earth the first time?” the words were out before Dan could think about them, and he immediately regretted it when he saw the look of hurt on Phil’s face.

Phil swallowed thickly, stumbling over his words. “I don’t . . . It’s not like that. You didn’t just  _ fall  _ through the ground. There’s this place - we call it the Edge. It’s where this world and all the rest connect. You fell there. Through the opening. That is the only place you can enter and exit this world.” After a few seconds of thinking, he couldn’t help but notice something odd about Dan’s question. “Dan . . . how did you know you fell?” No one told him he had fallen over the Edge. He was only told that he was  _ taken.  _

Dan caught Phil’s gaze before looking away. He seemed guilty, and Phil could feel it rolling off him, too.

“Dan, you can tell me. I’m not mad that you know, I’m just curious as to how you know that.” 

“My dream,” Dan blurted, wanting to get it out and over with. “I didn’t know if it was real when I woke up, but I could  _ feel  _ it. I was watching from some third person perspective. A baby in a blue blanket - my blue blanket - was at the Edge and just . . .” he trailed off, not wanting to think about what had happened to that baby. To  _ him.  _ The person just  _ dropped  _ him through the opening, like he was a piece of litter to be disposed. 

“Hey,” Phil said, forcing Dan to look at him. “It’s okay. You’re okay. That was twenty-four years ago. You’re home now - where you belong. I don’t know how you even dreamt of that or why, but magic has no bounds. The world is trying to tell you something. Did you see who did it? How you got there?”

Dan shook his head, sorry that he couldn’t tell him anymore than that. “I didn’t see a face. I’m sorry.” 

“That’s fine. Maybe sometime you will. Regardless, we will find out who did it and bring them to justice. Let’s just focus on the positives now, yeah?” 

“Okay.” Dan’s voice was shaky, but he trusted Phil. Mostly. Pushing aside his previous thoughts, he slowly shuffled his feet forwards, up until his toes were at the very edge of the doorframe. “Can you, um, maybe go first?” 

“Sure!” Phil chirped, swinging out the door and letting his wings spread out fully behind him. He flapped upwards once, hovering a few meters above the ground and not too far away from Dan. He held out his arms and unfurled his fingers, gesturing for Dan to grab them. “You can do it.”

Dan grabbed Phil’s hands, liking the way his skin felt on his. They were soft and smooth like his feathers. 

He stepped out of the house, squeezing his eyes shut as his bare feet connected with the cloudy ground. He didn’t know what he expected to feel, but almost  _ nothing  _ wasn’t it. He could tell he was standing on a surface, but it didn’t send a sensation through his feet or toes. 

Phil did his best not to laugh at Dan’s behavior. He felt like he was teaching Dan how to walk for the first time as he gripped his hands firmly and held him steady. It should have been like this years ago, when Dan was just a toddler. Now, however, he was twenty-four years old and practically learning the same thing. It made Phil’s soul feel content. 

“This is odd,” Dan commented, his eyes still closed.

“It might help if you would open your eyes,” Phil teased. 

Dan cracked one open, the other slowly following. He let go of Phil’s hands, shaking on his knees slightly. He felt like he didn’t know how to walk anymore and was learning all over again.

“There,” Phil said, smiling at him. “I told you it was safe.” 

“Can you . . . stand too?” Dan felt nervous asking, but even more nervous being the only one standing on  _ clouds.  _

“Yes.” Phil lowered himself down, his feet landing smoothly on the ground. He didn’t comment on it, but he could sense Dan’s fear ease slightly when he was on the ground, too. “What is it about the ground that scares you?” 

Dan looked around him before answering. “It’s  _ pink.  _ And it’s  _ clouds,  _ Phil! People don’t walk on clouds!” 

“Good thing we’re angels, then.”

Despite himself, Dan snorted lightly.  _ “You  _ don’t have to walk on the ground. You have wings. I only have two legs to get me here and there.”

“I could carry you around if that would please you,” Phil offered. He had no problem with carrying Dan around if that’s what would make him feel better. 

“That might make it worse,” Dan admitted. 

“As much as we would like, Dan, I don’t think we can stay in the house for the rest of eternity. You’re going to have to get around somehow, and as of right now, those are your only two options. Sorry to be a downer,” Phil added. 

Dan frowned. “Does it rain here?” he suddenly asked.

Phil was taken aback by his question. “No, why?” 

“It’s getting dark over there.” Dan pointed towards the East, Phil’s gaze following.

Phil swallowed nervously. The darkness was spreading quicker now. It had first arrived days before Dan was born, and Phil’s father and his troops were unable to cast it out. They had found solutions to keep it at bay, but they would only last so long. It was getting worse with each passing day, the only way to stop it for good being the use of pure magic. There was only one person with it, and soon enough, everyone would know who it was. It didn’t take a genius to figure it out. “That’s not rain,” he said nervously.

“Then what is it?”

“The darkness,” Phil echoed, more to himself than to Dan. “It’s spreading.”

Dan swore his heart dropped into his stomach. “The what? The darkness? Phil, what’s going on?” 

Phil looked over at Dan, forcing a smile on his face. “Please don’t worry about it, Dan. You have plenty of other things to concern yourself with.”

“But what is it?” Dan asked anyway. “Is it going to kill us?” Fear settled in his chest. Phil brought him to a place that was going to kill him?!

“No,” Phil said sternly, placing both hands on Dan’s shoulders and looking him dead in the eye. “We are not going to die. My father will find a way to stop it, okay? And if he can’t, we will go somewhere safe. I won’t let anything harm you again.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” 

Dan still couldn’t help the small dose of fear he felt from the darkness of the sky. He may not know what, exactly, it is, or why it’s even here, but he knew it was bad news. He could tell that Phil was scared of it, too. And if Phil was scared of it, Dan felt like he should be scared of it. But he trusted Phil to keep him safe. Even if no one could dispel the darkness anyway. 

“Do you want to explore?” Phil asked, changing the subject. “There’s plenty to see, plenty to-”

“Phil!” a deep voice shouted. 

Phil’s ears perked up instantly at his name, and then he went into protective mode. Dan could see the shift in his blue eyes from comforting to threatening, but not towards him. Phil had spun around so his back was facing Dan, and spread his wings wide and held them taut. His knees were slightly bent, making him look like he was ready to jump into battle if needed to be. Though his attire didn’t fit that too well. 

A short man appeared over the hill, wings sending him closer and closer to Dan and Phil. Dan could barely make out the man, but he could clearly see the mess of curls on his head and the same, giant wings as Phil. At this point, however, he felt more fear  _ for  _ the man. Phil looked like he was ready to kill him.

“Stop,” Phil commanded deadly, sending the man straight to the ground and only meters away in front of him.

“Phil? What are you - oh.” His eyes caught on Dan’s figure, which was peering around the tip of Phil’s wings. “So it’s true, then. You found your mate.” 

“Yes.” 

“I’m not going to hurt him, Phil. You know that. What do you need me to do to make your instincts calm down?” the man asked. 

Phil’s fists clenched at his sides as he studied the man. “I don’t . . . I don’t know.” For once, Phil seemed completely clueless as to how to handle something regarding Dan. All this time, he had known what to expect and knew how to deal with it, but when it came to this, he didn’t know a thing. 

“Would it help if I slowly made my way towards you first? Your mate can stay behind you.”

“Phil,” Dan whispered. “I don’t think he wants to hurt me.”

Phil let out a short breath as he heard Dan speak. “I know he doesn’t. He’s my long time friend, Pj. He was there they day you were created for me. He’s helped me through a lot. But the mating bond is still forming, so it’s making every urge I have, heightened. The urge to keep you safe from everything is controlling me right now.” 

“You seem pretty collected talking to me,” Dan observed. He gently let his fingers stroke Phil’s feathers, and he could tell the small drop he had in them. He didn’t hold them tightly behind him anymore - they were relaxing. 

“Because you’re my mate, Dan. You keep  _ me  _ centered. Not my urges. You may not fully understand it yet, but you will.” 

There was that word again.  _ Mate.  _ Dan wasn’t sure how he felt about it in relation to him and Phil, but right now, Phil was putting him on edge with the way he was being in front of Pj. “Then how do I make you  . . . calm down?” If Phil was able to do it to him, surely Dan could do the same, right? 

“Talking is helping,” Phil told him. “Let instincts do the rest.”

Instincts? Could Dan rely on something he didn’t even know was there until recently? “Um . . .”

“Don’t think, just do,” Pj spoke up, still not moving from his spot on the ground.

Phil tensed when he spoke, his eyes now glowing an unearthly blue.

“Please,” Pj added, sending pleading looks at Dan.

_ “Phil,”  _ Dan whined. “Please stop. You’re scaring me.” It was the eyes that made him change his mind about it being alright.

Apparently that’s all it took for Phil to drop his stance and whirl around, pulling Dan in close and wrapping his large wings around the two of them. They were encased in a small bubble, with Phil murmuring, “I’m sorry, don’t be scared, I didn’t mean it, it wasn’t me.” 

Dan couldn’t explain how he went from scared to content in three seconds flat, but he felt safe in Phil’s arms. 

_ It must be the bond,  _ he told himself. 

“I’ve got you,” Phil said, his lips pressed into Dan’s unruly hair. “I’ll try to be better next time, okay?”

Dan smiled at that. “Okay.”

“Maybe now I can get a proper introduction,” Pj said.

Phil pulled back his wings, letting the light touch Dan once more. He tucked his wings back behind him, still holding onto Dan as he looked at Pj. “Sorry. Pj, this is my mate, Dan. Dan, this is Pj.” 

“Good to see you again,” Pj said with a smile. “I’m sure you don’t remember me. I saw you for maybe three minutes the day you were born. Then Phil made me leave.” He rolled his eyes, though it was all in god fun.

“Hi,” Dan squeaked out, entranced by Pj’s own wings. He was growing used to Phil’s, but now being in a place where everyone had wings, it made him a little uncomfortable. He stood out. He didn’t have any. He wasn’t . . .  _ ordinary  _ here. 

Phil sensed discomfort, but he didn’t dwell on it. He was here to keep him safe. “Anyways,” Phil continued, dragging out the word, “what do you want?” 

“Is that any way to talk to your old friend?” 

“Probably for most, but for a prince, I bet it’s frowned upon.”

Pj laughed. “I’m here because one, I heard you’re finally back in town and I wanted to see you. And two, I actually came with a message. I don’t, exactly, want to be the one delivering this, but I suggested you might go a little easier on the news since it’s me.”

“What is it?” Phil muttered, his walls immediately going up. 

“Your father would like to meet your mate formally. But that’s also not it. He wants Dan there to tell him everything that’s happened since he fell.”

“No.”

“Phil-”

“I said no. He’s been here a  _ day,  _ Peej. He hasn’t even left the front lawn. He’s not going to the palace.” 

Pj smiled sadly. “I’m sorry, Phil. I’m only the messenger. He mentioned once Dan is done, you and him can do whatever you want. He won’t bother you two for a long while.”

Phil scoffed. “Knowing my father, that’s a lie. He’s just trying to get me to the palace. He will keep bothering us if anything.” 

“Like I said, I'm only the messenger. Whether you decide to show up or not is your doing, but don't doubt that your father can and probably will resort to . . . other methods of getting you two to the palace.” 

Just the mention of that was enough to make Phil's blood boil. He didn't doubt that  _ at all,  _ but there was no way he was waiting around for his father to forcibly take Dan and him to the palace for a little meet and greet. But he didn't want Dan to go there of free will, either. Phil hadn't talked to his father much these past few years, but he still knew him. He had some other motive with Dan. Phil could feel it.  

“Phil,” Dan spoke up. “I'm sure it's fine. You'll be with me, right? I . . . trust that you won't let anything happen.” 

_ Trust.  _ Dan  _ trusted  _ him? The feeling sent joy soaring through Phil's body. “I won't,” he assured. “I never would.” 

“Then we go,” Dan said. “As long as I'm with you, it will be okay. Besides, I don't think this is something we could avoid forever.” 

“No, it isn’t.” Phil smiled warmly at him, still standing close as Pj stood only a few meters off. “Why don't we spend the rest of today taking it easy and tomorrow I can show you my world on the way to the palace? Does that sound good?”

“It sounds perfect.” It really did. If there was something Dan was good at, it was sitting inside and doing  _ nothing.  _

“Am I invited, too?” Pj asked. 

Phil practically  _ growled  _ at him, his eyes glowing blue. 

“I'll take that as a no,” Pj said flatly, causing Dan to giggle. “I have work that needs to be done at the palace, anyway.”

“I'm sorry,” Phil sighed. “I'm not quite ready to have anyone in the same space as Dan at the moment. Especially one as private as a home.”

“I get it, Phil. We've all been there with our mates. Mine was the same way with me. Damn guy wouldn't let anyone inside for  _ months.  _ Just take your time. I'll see you two tomorrow.”

Dan couldn't help but get caught on Phil's words about  _ home.  _ He said it was a private space, and made it sound like it was only for him and Phil. Something about his words sent a chill up his spine, and the action didn't go unnoticed by Phil, who looked at him curiously with one brow raised. 

“Is something wrong?” Phil asked him. 

“No,” Dan replied quickly. 

Phil didn't look like he quite believed him, but he let it go. “See you, Peej,” Phil said, glancing over at him. The two watched him fly away, back to the palace. 

They stood for a few moments, looking at the empty yard in front of them. Phil was the first to say something. 

“What do you want to do for the rest of the day?” 

Dan 

ignored his initial question, instead asking, “What's out there?” He looked beyond the hill of clouds, out at the horizon. “And just how far are we from civilization?” 

Phil looked at him sheepishly. “Um . . . we aren't far. Really it's just . . . past those trees.” 

“Phil.” 

“Honest.”

“Then why can't I see anything but land?” 

Phil looked away, swallowing nervously. “There may or may not be a glamour in place that's hiding everything from you.” 

“What? Why!? Phil!” Dan couldn't explain it, but he felt hurt by it. Did Phil really think he couldn't handle seeing his world? This is where Dan came from, after all. Not only that, but if he was meant to live here for  _ eternity,  _ he was going to have to get used to it. 

“Dan,” Phil said softly, reaching for him. 

“Don't.” Dan pulled away from him, taking a few steps back. “Just . . . I need some space.”

“Dan,  _ please,”  _ Phil begged. 

But Dan didn't listen. With tears blurring his vision, he backed away and turned quickly, running right through the glamour and becoming invisible to Phil. 

“Dan!” Phil shouted. “Wait!” He took flight immediately, bursting through the surrounding shield, thinking Dan would be right there, but he was nowhere. Panic seized his chest, and this time, it was his own. “Dan!” he screamed. “Dan!” 

_ Nonononono, this can't be happening. Not again.  _

Phil soared higher into the sky, looking all around for the familiar mop of brown curls.

He saw nothing.


	6. Chapter 6

Dan didn't really know why he ran. He just did. He was upset and couldn't be near Phil at that moment, but now he was regretting it. He had no idea where he was. Let alone how to get back. He was lost. 

The scent of lavender filled his nose, soothing him. He was near a field of it, which explained the smell, but not the soothing effect. 

“What are  _ you  _ doing out here?” a feminine voice said, startling Dan. “Whoops. I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sorry.” 

Dan turned around to see a medium sized woman with blonde hair, looking directly at him. She had white wings like Phil and Pj, tucked behind her loosely. “Um . . .”

“You're Phil’s mate, aren't you?”

“Y-Yes. Who are you?” 

She smiled brightly at him, keeping her distance. “I'm Louise. Why aren't you with Phil?” 

Dan didn't think she wasn't trustworthy, but he had always been a little more than wary when giving strangers information. After all, knowledge is power. “I needed . . . space.”

“Oh.” She sounded shocked. “Why?”

“I just did.”

“Alright. But does he know how to find you? Do you know how to find him? I'm assuming he doesn't know you're  _ here.  _ Otherwise he wouldn't be far off.” 

Dan stared at her before saying, “And you know him so well?”

She giggled, twirling her hair on her finger. “Yes. Well, I  _ did.  _ These past twenty something years, maybe not. I haven't seen him much since you were created. He's been spending all your life looking for you. There's no way he would let you wander off only after a  _ day  _ from finding you. I know him well enough in that sense. But I don't sense him around.” 

“Oh. Well.” 

“Do you know how to use your magic to find him?” 

“Magic? I don't . . .” 

“You don't?” she prompted.

“Know.”  _ Like, I don't know how to use magic.  _

“Well that's quite alright. Having a new mate is scary. Probably more so for Phil than for you. But you two are connected. Eternally. Your magic is connected to his. All you have to do his feel deeply for Phil inside of you and your magic and senses will do the rest. It's easy. Why don't you try it?”

Try it? Dan didn’t even know he had magic until yesterday, and even then the circumstances weren’t that clear. “I’m not sure I should.” 

“Why not? You have nothing to lose. Eventually you’ll use magic. Might as well start now. Besides, I think Phil would be rather impressed if you knew how to use some magic.”

Dan frowned. “I’m not trying to impress him.” Dan didn’t even think he  _ needed  _ to. Phil seemed to like him enough already. With or without the use of magic. 

Louise shrugged. “Suit yourself. But this particular trick might come in handy sometime in the future. It would be best to know how to find him if you are lost.” 

“I’m not lost,” Dan snapped.

“Sure you’re not,” she giggled. “If you can tell me where we are, I’ll take it back.”

Dan looked around, seeing nothing but an open field of lavender. “Obviously we are in a field of good smelling plants.” 

“As true as that statement is, there’s more to this field that meets the eye.” 

Fine. Dan was lost. Still, he was too stubborn to admit that to Louise, who only stared at him with an open mouthed smile.

“Try using magic, Daniel. It won’t kill you.” 

“I don’t know how.”

“There’s a point in all our lives where we don’t know how. We learn. You’ll learn. And there’s no time like the present to start learning. Please at least try. If not for me, then for Phil. He’s probably having a panic attack not knowing where you are.” 

_ A panic attack.  _ Something Dan was too familiar with. He knew that they were scary and that they sucked, and he would hate for Phil to have one on his behalf. He shouldn’t have run off like he did. Too bad he only realized it when it was too late. “What do I do?”

“Think of him. Try to feel him; sense him. His soul is woven within yours, and vice versa. Open it up to him and you’ll be able to feel him. Your instincts will do the rest.” 

Dan didn’t think his instincts were reliable enough at the moment. He was in a place unknown. Well, mostly. How could he rely on his instincts to get him back to Phil in some world he has only been in for twenty-four hours at most his whole life? 

He closed his eyes anyways, taking a deep breath. He thought about Phil, and how his soul was connected to his own. He tried to feel it inside him, and as he did, he felt a burst of warmth inside his chest. It wasn’t painful, but more soothing and reassuring. He opened his eyes to say something to Louise, but she was gone. 

Dan looked behind him through the thicket of trees, and began walking towards them. He was letting his soul guide him, trusting his instincts Louise insisted that would take over. 

He didn’t even make it to the tree line when a force came barrelling at him, sending him through the air and back until he was almost in the field of lavender behind him. He sat up as far as he could with a groan, only to be pushed back down to the ground. He opened his eyes all the way, seeing Phil pinning him down, his eyes glowing blue.

“Dan?” 

“Phil?” 

“Oh my gosh, you’re okay!” Phil pulled Dan up into his arms, squeezing him tightly to his chest. “I didn’t know where you went. I was so scared. You were there and then you weren’t. I thought I lost you again and I didn’t know what to do and then I  _ felt  _ you. I  _ felt  _ you, Dan! I haven’t been able to feel your presence since you were born. I forgot what it was like. And you even used magic! You opened yourself to me and I could find my way to you! Dan, it was - Dan? Are you okay? Why are you crying?” Phil pulled back from him to look at his face. Tears stained his cheeks as he quietly cried. Phil swiped them away slowly with his thumbs.

“I’m sorry, Phil. I didn’t mean to - I didn’t - know -”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Phil said. “Please don’t cry. I don’t want you to feel sad.” 

Dan sniffled, wiping his nose on his arm. “I shouldn’t have run off. I wasn’t thinking. I’m sorry I made you feel like you lost me again. I’m selfish.”

Phil frowned. “You are  _ not  _ selfish, Daniel. It’s okay to feel this way. Your life was turned upside down in a matter of seconds. I would expect you to feel this way. You have nothing to feel sorry for. I wasn’t mad at you, I was just scared. I don’t think I could lose you again and live with it. Now that you’re back, I’m not letting you go.” 

Dan leaned forwards, resting his forehead against Phil’s chest. He let Phil cradle him there until he was ready to move again.

“Did you know that this field is the field where you were created?” Phil said quietly. “Just on the other side - near the palace. Your soul probably guided you here when you ran. It’s connected to this place, too. Everyone is. It’s full of magic and happiness.”

Dan turned his head to the side, looking at the field. So  _ that  _ was what Louise meant when she said this place had a special meaning. Dan just didn’t know what it was. “Oh.” 

“Why don’t we go back home and rest? We have things to do tomorrow, I suppose. And I’m sure they won’t be easy going.” Phil blew out an annoyed breath. 

“It can’t be that bad.”

Phil almost laughed. “You’ll see. And then you’ll wish we were at home doing nothing.”

Dan hoped he was wrong. But Phil knew this life better than he did, so he supposed he was just going to have to take his word for it. Tomorrow wasn’t going to be pleasant.


	7. Chapter 7

Dan wished he was doing nothing.

His legs ached and he was hot - two things he didn’t bode well with. Phil walked next to him on their journey to the palace, even though Dan insisted Phil do what he normally would and fly. 

“I don’t want you to feel like the odd one out,” Phil had said.

“I don’t have wings and have been missing for twenty-three years. Walking isn’t going to hurt me much more than that,” Dan replied.

Still, Phil walked all the way to the palace with him. And it wasn’t a short walk. The whole way there, people flew overhead, giving the both of them (mostly Dan) funny looks. Dan figured it was because of his lack of wings, though Phil said part of it was probably just him with Phil in general. Phil was the prince, after all, and everyone knew their story. 

There were a few times on the way there that Dan instinctively ducked each time an angel flew over his head. Their shadow appeared big and menacing, even though Dan knew none of them were going to hurt him.

“I can order everyone to walk if that would make it better,” Phil offered.

“No, please don’t. That will only make things worse. I’ll get used to it.”  

Phil only shrugged as they continued onwards. 

When it felt like they had been walking for hours, Phil finally perked up and pointed in front of them. “There! Look, Dan, we’re here!”

Dan looked up, seeing a rather large stone building not too far from where they stood. It was  _ huge.  _ It could easily fit every angel here ever, in Dan’s opinion. 

“Let me fly us the rest of the way. I’m sure we are almost late since some of us didn’t want to wake up this morning.” 

Dan rolled his eyes. “You can easily learn that mornings aren’t really my thing,” Dan retorted. 

“I’ve noted. Now, are you going to let me carry you?”

“Uh . . .” Dan realized that he had let Phil carry him and fly them to a place before, but he was unconscious for all of it. Now he was going to be fully aware of how high they were and how fast they were going.  

Phil seemed to notice his hesitation, and picked up on his feelings. “Hey, I’ll take it easy. You don’t have to be scared when you’re with me. I’ll get us there safely.” 

“It’s not you that I’m worried about,” Dan said, then added quietly, “Never you.”

“I won’t drop you. Even if I did, you would land safely on the clouds. You won’t go through them.” He had explained to Dan once before how he ended up on the earth, and it wasn’t something as simple as falling through the ground he was born on.

Dan nodded, swallowing the rising lump in his throat. “Alright.” 

“It will take not even two minutes. I swear.” Phil scooted closer to him and scooped Dan up into his arms. “You can put your face in my shoulder if you don’t want to look.” 

As much as he didn’t want to, Dan found himself doing just that. He didn’t know where his fear of heights came from, exactly, but he did briefly recall a lesson in school once where a traumatic event when you’re younger can cause problems when you’re older, even if you can’t fully remember it. Maybe it was when he was dropped over the Edge not long after being born. That seemed to make the most sense. 

“Get ready,” Phil warned, spreading out his wings, getting ready to take flight. “Three, two, one!” He rocketed into the air, and soared forwards, holding Dan tighter than ever. To his surprise, Dan didn’t scream or make a sound.

With Phil flying, it took them a matter of seconds to reach the front entrance to the palace. Phil planted his feet on the ground and peaked at Dan’s face, which had a stoic expression. “Are you good?” Phil asked. 

“That was thrilling yet terrifying. I also feel like I could vomit.” 

Phil chuckled. “Please don’t do that.” He set Dan down on the ground, holding onto him until his legs stopped shaking. “Do you need a moment?”

“No, I’ll be fine. Let’s just get this over with.” 

“Agreed.” Phil stepped in front of him and led the way. There were two guards on each side of the door, with two more hovering above. There were plenty more that couldn’t be seen, and though Phil was sure that no one in this world would try to harm the royal family, it was simply a precaution. 

“Prince Philip, welcome. And Prince Daniel, it’s nice to meet you.”

Dan froze and stared wide eyed at the guard. “Oh, um, I’m not-”

“You are,” Phil interrupted. “A prince. You are just going to have to get used to it, sorry. I’ve been trying to get them to call me Phil for decades. They won’t do it.” 

“But,  _ Phil,”  _ Dan whined. “I’m not a prince.”

“If I am, you are.” Phil smiled sympathetically at him. “Only people in the palace will call you as such. Don’t worry, I don’t plan on spending much time here.”

Dan sighed, nodding his head in agreement. He didn’t like being called a prince. Hell, he didn’t think he would ever be one. He didn’t want to be. Living in a palace and being nice at all times wasn’t his thing. He didn’t see how Phil did it. Or maybe it just came naturally to him. 

When the doors opened, and Dan stepped inside, he couldn’t help but hold his breath. The place was  _ huge.  _ It was elegant with marble flooring and high ceilings, complete with chandeliers. 

“You like?” Phil asked, carefully gauging his reaction. He had a feeling that Dan had never seen a place so grand, if his old one was anything to go off of. Dan had been here once before when he was a baby, but there was no way he would remember that.  

“It’s . . .” Dan didn’t know what to say. 

Phil chuckled lowly. “Nice, huh?” 

“You could say that.”

“Come on, we have to go talk to my father.” Phil tugged him along lightly, up the stairs and to the right. 

“You mean the king, right?” 

Phil felt Dan’s wave of nervousness in his chest. “It’s okay. I’ll be with you the whole time. He’s not as bad as he sounds. He’s just a little stressed out recently. But he’s really nice. Just like me!” 

Dan smiled. “Okay.” 

As they walked around the palace, Dan took everything in. From the portraits on the walls, to the maids and butlers. There was so much to take in, it was incredible. However, there was one thing that clouded Dan’s mind once he saw a family portrait with Phil and his parents. “Hey, Phil?”

“Yes?” 

“Why is it that you have parents and I, uh, don’t?”

Phil stopped in the hallway, turning to face Dan. “Oh. Angels can still have children. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. My parents wanted one, so they had me. Angels can be born from someone or be created by magic. Either way, we are still the same.” 

For some reason, Dan felt a little sad that he didn’t have parents. How many living here were like him? Born in a field of lavender by magic alone? 

“It doesn’t make you any less of a person, Dan,” Phil said softly. “You’re still you. Still mine.” 

Dan accepted his answer with a slight nod, and followed him down the rest of the hall to the king’s quarters. He stood behind Phil as he knocked on the doors and waited for them to open.

When they did open, Dan noticed that it was Pj who stood on the other side of them, looking more professional than he did yesterday. He wore a frown on his face, looking quite serious as he served the king. “Prince Philip, Prince Daniel,” he greeted.

“Pj,” Phil replied just as courteous. Phil glanced over his shoulder at Dan, and gave him a slight nudge. 

“Oh, um, hi,” Dan sputtered out. 

Phil smiled at his response, thinking that it was such a Dan thing to do. “I’m here to talk with my father.” 

“Of course.” Pj stepped aside, allowing Phil and Dan to enter. The room.

This one wasn’t as grand, in Dan’s opinion, but it was still nice. The king sat behind a large, mahogany desk, his wings tucked loosely behind him. He didn’t seem as mean as Dan originally thought him out to be, but for a man who was immortal and didn’t age past twenty-four, he was looking a little worse for wear.

“Son,” the king said, looking over his glasses at Phil. “It’s nice to have you in my office again. It’s been a while.” 

“It has,” Phil agreed, squeezing Dan’s hand. “I believe it’s also been a while since you last saw Dan.” He tugged Dan forward until he was right beside him. “Dan, this is my father, Kevin.”  

Dan didn’t want to say anything in fear of making a fool out of himself, but this man was the  _ king.  _ Phils  _ father.  _ It would be disrespectful to  _ not  _ say anything. “N-Nice to m-meet you,” Dan stuttered. 

“He’s a little shy,” Phil told him. “But we’re working on it.” 

Dan wasn’t so sure that “shy” was the word. More like  _ scared.  _

“Daniel, it is nice to see you again. Tell me, how does it feel to be home?” 

“Um . . .” Dan forced down the bile in his throat.  _ Don’t say anything offensive.  _ “”It’s . . . different.” There. That couldn’t be  _ too  _ bad.

“I imagine. I do hope it does not take you long to adjust to our ways. It is quite easy to live here. And luckily for you, you have Philip to do most things for you.” 

_ What’s that supposed to mean?  _ Dan thought to himself. “Yeah,” he replied anyway.

“Also,” the king began, and Dan could hear a small sigh from Phil. Whatever was about to come next surely wasn’t going to be good. “I would like to know if you have seen the darkness that clouds the eastern land.” 

“Father-”

“Philip,” the king cut him off in warning. 

Dan’s palms began to sweat. “I have.” 

“Do you, by a chance, know how to get rid of it?” 

Why would Dan know that? “I don’t . . . I don’t think so.” 

“Hmm. What if I told you-”

“Father! Now is not the time!” Phil’s eyes began to illuminate, and the one hand that wasn’t holding Dan’s, balled into a fist. His other just squeezed Dan harshly. 

The king glared at Phil, clearly not happy by his outburst. “Son, last I checked, I was talking to Daniel. Not you. Leave my presence so I can finish this conversation in peace.”

“No.”

“Excuse me? I am your father and the king. You listen to me. Now leave.” 

Phil stood his ground. “I’m not leaving Dan alone for one second. I did twenty-four years ago and look what that got me!” 

The king sighed. “I understand your concerns, Philip, but I am only asking you to stand outside the  _ door.  _ Pj will gladly stay in here while I talk to your mate. Which is all I’m doing.  _ Talking.”  _

“He’s just going to tell me what you said anyways, so you might as well say it while I’m here.”

“That’s not the point, Philip. Don’t make me have you removed from this room. I’m sure that would do nothing to ease your mate’s fragile mind.” 

_ Fragile mind!?  _ “My mind is  _ not  _ fragile!” Dan snapped. 

Everyone looked at Dan, reacting to his sudden outburst. Phil squeezed his hand, a reminder that he was there. 

“Daniel, it is only to be expected considering your upbringing. No one is judging you for your nervous state.” 

“I am not nervous! Why do you think I am this weak, pathetic human? I’m apparently the same as you!” Minus some things.

“Tell me, have you ever used magic? Do you know that it is inside of you, stirring to be released? Do you know that it is whole,  _ pure  _ magic - magic that no one else but you has? That your magic is the only kind that can stop the darkness from killing our whole world?”

Dan stood in silence, listening to the onslaught of the king’s words. 

“Perhaps you were raised the way you were to ensure that we could stop the darkness once and for all. You were the only one suitable enough.” 

Phil’s hand dropped from Dan’s. “You,” he choked out. “You know something, don’t you? Dan falling wasn’t an accident.” 

“Philip-”

“Was it?” Phil snapped. 

“You aren’t thinking of-”

“Was it!?” Phil screamed, and Dan flinched, never hearing Phil’s voice get so aggressive before. Not even when Pj came flying up the hill yesterday to deliver a message. He had been nothing but calm and kind. This was a new side of him Dan was sure he never wanted to see again. 

“If your mate lived here, Philip, for those twenty-four years, there was no way we could ensure that he would have pure magic. No one can resist the dark temptations magic can bring. You couldn’t and I couldn’t. Did you ever think that maybe you had to wait so long for a mate was because the universe was waiting for the right person to give the task to? He was the only one, Philip. If there was someone else, it would have been them. I would have made sure of it. I did not want to see you so heartbroken and lonely. I have seen it for over a century, but what was twenty-four more years compared to eternity?”

“Hell,” Phil answered gravely. “I spent every day for all of those years, wondering if I would ever see him again. Wondering if he would age by the time I found him, or possibly be dead. I had no way of knowing we would both make it out alright. But you knew this whole time! You  _ kept this  _ from me. I don’t know if that’s worse than having him placed on earth and being raised as a human. Betrayal cuts deep,  _ father.  _ And the wounds from a parent don’t ever fully heal.” 

“Philip-” 

“We’re done here. Don’t bother me or Dan again.” Phil gripped Dan’s hand firmly and tugged him from the room, not even sparing a glance at Pj. Did  _ he  _ know? Hell, did anyone else know about this? Dan’s “parents” probably, but was that the extent? 

Phil was so  _ angry.  _ He hadn’t felt this angry since Dan was taken away from him. And even then it was more sadness and fear than  _ anger.  _ He didn’t have it in him to talk, or listen to anyone as he rushed by them with Dan in tow.

When they got outside, Phil picked Dan up gently, not even asking if he minded being flown home. Dan didn’t disagree, however, and simply laid cradled against Phil’s chest as his wings spread out behind him, and set him soaring up and forward towards home.

It took half the time to get there as it did by walking, and once inside, Phil shielding his whole home from everyone. No one was allowed in. And he almost made it so no one was allowed out, either, but he didn’t want Dan to feel like a prisoner. Which he wasn’t.

They both stood silently in the lounge when Phil set Dan down, looking anywhere but into each other’s eyes. Dan didn’t want to see the pain and torment in Phil’s, and Phil didn’t want to see the confusion and fear in Dan’s.

However, Phil couldn’t keep anything inside of him anymore when Dan quietly and brokenly said Phil’s name, and the older boy feel to his knees and wept. 

Dan was there instantly, holding Phil and rocking him back and forth gently as Phil soaked his shirt in tears. Dan didn’t know what to say. He had so many things he wanted to say, but his tongue was heavy in his mouth and he couldn’t move it to make any words. So he sat there on the plush floor and held Phil until he cried himself out, and wished that he could do the same. 

But for some reason, no tears came.


	8. Chapter 8

Dan wasn’t as strong as Phil in the slightest, and he felt bad when he couldn’t just pick him up and carry him to his bedroom. He had to shake him awake and see the puffy, red eyes he didn’t know he would hate so much, once more. “Phil, I’m sorry I can’t take you to your room like you do for me. I’m not strong enough to carry you.” 

Phil halfway smiled, slurring something along the lines of, “It’s okay.” He sluggishly stood up, leaning on Dan for support as the two headed to Phil’s room to get some rest. 

Dan wasn’t really tired in the sense of needing  sleep, but he hoped maybe a nap might do wonders. He helped Phil into bed, finding it hard not to stare at his wings. It was still an odd thing to Dan, despite being around them for a day or two now. Everyone he had seen so far in this world had them - him being the only exception. He wasn’t sure if he would want some or not.

“I feel your unease,” Phil whispered. “Do the wings still scare you?” He looked into Dan’s eyes, which flickered over to Phil’s instead of still looking at his wings. 

“No, it’s not that. I just . . . Wonder why I don’t have them if I’m like you.” 

“I’m not sure, either. We can go to the healer later or tomorrow and see what they know.” Phil would feel better about it if they at least visited them. He hoped they would be able to find an answer.

“Should we?” Dan asked. “Is it . . . Is it a big deal?”

Phil shrugged. “Yes and no. It doesn’t seem to affect you being in the Second World, but it’s too out of the ordinary for an angel to not have them. We don’t  _ have  _ to go if you don’t really want, but it might be best if we do.” 

“Okay,” Dan murmured. He went to leave Phil’s bedroom when Phil called out to him.

“Dan? You don’t have to leave, you know. You can sleep in here, too. I’m sorry the other bedroom isn’t set up or anything, but-”

“That’s fine. I . . . I don’t think I’m quite ready to, though, if that’s okay.” He twiddled his thumbs in nervousness.

“That’s okay,” Phil reassured. “Only do what makes you feel comfortable. But I can take the sofa if-”

“No, I’ll take it. It’s only midday, anyways. I’m taking a nap. It won’t be long.” 

Phil nodded his head before resting it on the pillow and closing his eyes. He was exhausted. Mentally and physically. He wasn’t sure the last time he had slept for more than four hours at a time. He was too worried about Dan. Worried that if he stayed away too long, he would be taken away from him again. He would wake up constantly in the middle of the night and check to make sure Dan was still there. And he was. Just like had had been the other eight times Phil checked on him through the night. 

It didn’t seem real. Phil could hardly believe that the boy in his house was his  _ mate.  _ It felt like it, but it didn’t at the same time. Phil didn’t know if he would ever feel the full effects of the bond, and that saddened him. How could he be there and provide for Dan when he couldn’t even tell what was wrong half the time? Dan wasn’t too chatty on his feelings, from what Phil could tell, and though he could feel his emotions, he still couldn’t read his thoughts or know where he was every second of the day. And Phil was sure Dan couldn’t feel  _ anything.  _ He never mentioned it, and he never acted like he could, so Phil believed it’s one sided. 

All the thoughts clouded his mind until he drifted off into sleep, and this time, it was for longer than four hours. Phil knew Dan would still be there. He had a feeling.


	9. Chapter 9

Dan thought he was tired enough to take a nap, but no matter how many times he tossed and turned on the sofa and tried shutting his eyes, sleep never came. 

Something inside him was bothering him.  _ Stirring  _ in him. The king’s words were part of it, but there was a sensation in his gut that felt off. Or  . . . right. He hadn’t ever felt the sensation before, but it wasn’t one of discomfort. Like it  _ should  _ be there. 

He got off the sofa and paced the room, doing his best to keep his anxious feelings to himself. If he let his emotions get the best of him, Phil would feel it enough and wake up, and Dan didn’t want that. Phil needed to sleep. Dan didn’t think he had ever since his birthday. 

Never in his life did Dan imagine things would turn out to be . . . like this. He had expected change to come eventually, but not a change so big that it would change his life  _ forever.  _ He was  _ immortal.  _ He had  _ magic.  _ Things weren’t supposed to be like this. He wasn’t supposed to be some savior to this land he was born in twenty-four years ago. He was supposed be just  _ Daniel.  _ Or rather,  _ Prince  _ Daniel, mate to Prince Philip. He was supposed to be royalty and have learned and grown by doing everything Phil taught him to do. Instead he was given the life of a poor human, and grew up with no one.

Dan’s stress levels were through the roof. He was never going to nap now, nor did he think he was going to be able to sleep tonight. There were too many things to think about, too many things to  _ do.  _ He had to learn how to use his magic to get rid of the darkness. If he wanted to live out eternity with Phil, that was exactly what he had to do.

Even if it scared him to death. 

“Dan?” Phil’s sleepy voice rang out across the living room. 

Damnit! He had woken Phil up because he never had any fucking control over his feelings! How much more pathetic could he get?”

“You’re not pathetic,” Phil said.

Dan’s face paled. He didn’t say that verbally. In fact, he didn’t say anything at all.

“What do you mean? I can hear you loud and clear.”

“In my head!” Dan snapped. It wasn’t out of anger or anything, just . . . It was weird.

Phil’s eyes suddenly widened. “I can . . . I can hear your thoughts! Like I’m supposed to! Dan!” he squealed, launching himself across the living room and tackling Dn to the ground. “Our bond is forming! It’s not ruined like I thought.” He squeezed him tightly, happiness taking over. 

Dan couldn’t help but smile and hug Phil back. He was so  _ happy.  _ Dan didn’t have to see him to know it. He could  _ feel  _ it. Running through his veins. Happiness filled him, and though some of it was his own, he could ultimately tell a majority of it was Phil’s. He didn’t know how. He just knew.

“It’s the bond, Dan,” Phil said softly into his shoulder. “You’re finally feeling it, too.” 

“You’re reading my thoughts,” Dan stated.

Phil chuckled. “Yes, but I’m not purposely doing it. I can just hear them. It’s like you’re speaking out loud to me, but it sounds slightly different.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Phil said softly, pulling away from Dan so he could look him in the eyes. “It’s natural. Someday, you’ll hear mine.” He was sure of it.

Dan smiled. “So, um, can you, like, speak to me in my head now?” He vaguely remembered being told about it from his . . . mum.

“I should be able to. Want to try?” 

“Actually . . . yes.” For once, the thought didn’t scare him.

Phil’s face lit up light a kid’s on Christmas. He couldn’t believe Dan was letting him do this! And he was being so calm about it! He had his doubts a few days ago when he brought Dan home, but he was proving him wrong. Dan was cut out for this. He had just needed some time.

He took a deep breath and concentrated on Dan, and wondered where to start.

“Right there,” Dan said aloud.

“Right - oh! You heard that?” 

“Yeah,” Dan giggled, blushing after he heard himself.

Phil froze at the sound, immediately deciding that Dan’s laughter was the best sound he’s ever heard. It sounded like a child’s. It sounded like . . . just like he imagined. 

_ “Phil,”  _ Dan whined, his cheeks turning redder than before. “Stop.”

_ You should do that more often,  _ Phil thought to him.

Instead of answering verbally, Dan thought the words in his head.  _ Do what?  _

_ Laugh. Blush,  _ Phil replied into his head.

_ Really, stop,  _ Dan groaned internally.

Phil laughed, and suddenly, he had the strong urge to lean forwards and just -  _ No! _

Dan jumped, wincing at the sudden shout that rattled his skull. “No, what? What did I do?”

“No, no, no, not you. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that. You didn’t do anything,” Phil quickly answered. He couldn’t think about kissing Dan again. He wouldn’t. He didn’t even think Dan liked him like that. Of course, nine out of ten times, mates are romantically involved, with only a few settling on just being very close friends. Phil hoped that wouldn’t be the case with them. Dan was different, yes, but he loved him too much to be just friends.

“What are  _ you  _ thinking about?” Dan asked, raising one brow.

“Nothing. Just . . . how great this is. How great this feels,” Phil lied.

Dan looked at him in disbelief. “I may not be able to read thoughts, but I can feel your emotions now. And you, Phil Lester, are not feeling joyus like you were a minute ago.” 

_ Damn it. _

Dan grinned. “Busted.”

And for some reason, Phil laughed. This is how it was supposed to be. No secrets. No lies.  But he couldn’t tell Dan he was thinking about kissing him. It was too soon. “How about I tell you in due time, okay? Now isn’t the best. Just trust me on this one, okay?”

“Okay,” Dan agreed quietly. “I can do that.”

“Thank you,” Phil breathed. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, just staring at each other. “Well, our naps were kind of cut short. What do you want to do?”

Dan shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know.”

Phil thought quietly to himself for a moment. He was going to take Dan to see a healer about his wings tomorrow, but they could do it now and get it out of the way. That way, they would have the whole day tomorrow to do whatever they wanted. The only hard part about it now was actually getting Dan to agree to go. Phil could feel his reluctance about it earlier. “What if we went to see the healer now instead of tomorrow?” 

Dan froze.  _ Oh God please no I can’t- _

“Dan,” Phil said calmly. “Calm down. It’s okay.” Phil didn’t realize how much of an overkill it was to hear his thoughts  _ and  _ feel his emotions about them. It was a lot, that’s for sure. 

“Phil, I know what I said earlier and I know I agreed but-”

“But you thought you had more time to prepare,” Phil finished.

Dan gulped. “Yeah.”

“But you would have done this tomorrow too, am I right?”

“Yeah.”

Phil laughed. “It’s okay to be scared to . . .” He thought about his next words carefully. “Go to the doctor’s.” He knew that’s what they were called on earth, but angels here didn’t generally refer to seeing a healer as going to the doctor’s. 

“You don’t understand, the things they do, it’s-”

_ Dan,  _ Phil said into his mind.  _ Calm. It’s not the same here as it is on earth. Remember how I healed your hands before? They do the same. Only they can heal bigger things than just that. Not that they commonly need to, but there’s no scary tools or things like that. They’re just going to see why you don’t have wings. I bet they barely touch you.  _ The thought of Dan being touched by someone else made a growl erupt low in his throat. 

Dan smiled at that.  _ That pesky bond, hmm?  _

“Yes, that pesky bond,” Phil chuckled.

Dan sat there for a moment, thinking. “Why can’t I hear your thoughts all the time like you can mine?”

“Hmm, I actually don’t know. You heard everything I said a moment ago, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So maybe for the time being, I can talk to you directly when I’m trying like I just was. I know other mates can do that.” Even so, Dan and Phil were a different case. They were learning together. 

Silence threatened to loom again, and this time, Phil wasn’t going to play around. “Dan. I let you change the subject once, but not again. We are going to see a healer and see why you don’t have wings.”

“Phil, I don’t really care if I have them or not. I’m still . . . me.” A look of sadness swept over his face. Did Phil not think the same of him because he didn’t  _ look  _ like him? 

Phil’s jaw dropped. “Don’t you  _ ever  _ think something like that again, Daniel, do you understand me? I don’t care if you have wings or not, you are still mine and I still love you.” The words were out before he could think about them, but it was too late now.

Dan looked up at him, eyes glistening. “You . . . You love me?” 

“I do.” There was no sense in taking it back now. “I always have. Even for the twenty-four years you were gone, I never stopped loving you. You’re my soulmate, Dan. I love everything there is about you, and I will wait twenty more years for you if I have to.” 

Tears blurred Dan’s vision, but he didn’t dare let them fall. He wanted to so badly tell Phil he loved him back. He  _ did.  _ It was just that Dan didn’t think he loved him to that extent, and it would be wrong to tell him when he didn’t feel that way. Dan likes Phil. He really does. For now, just as a friend. Though he knows in his heart, his  _ soul,  _ that someday, he will love Phil more. But he won’t utter the words until he’s sure.There’s still so many things to learn about Phil. About himself. He needs time. One doesn’t fall in love in a matter of days. 

He blinked the tears away, and heaved out a sigh. “We-” he swallowed -“can go see a healer. I’ll try to be good.” He smiled teasingly, and Phil let out a much needed breath. 

“Thank you.” He grabbed Dan’s hand and tugged him forwards. He just hoped that whatever the healer had to say, wouldn’t be too bad. 

 


	10. Chapter 10

“Prince Philip,” Mia, the healer, said when they walked through the doors. “And Prince Daniel,” she tacked on. “What a pleasure. I hope you’re not here for a bad reason.”

Phil smiled at her. “I hope not, too. I’m actually here to see if you can tell us anything about why Dan here doesn’t have wings. He’s not too concerned about it, but I am.”

Mia chuckled. “I wouldn’t expect any less from you, prince. Let’s go back into my office and we can do a physical examination.”

Dan’s feet were rooted to the floor. Phil tugged on his arm to try and pull him along, but Dan wouldn’t budge. “Phil . . .”

“I’m right here, Dan. It’s okay. She’s just going to check your body and make sure it’s healthy.”

“It is.”

Phil smiled. “You might think so, but you don’t know all the signs of a slight imperfection. She does. I’ll stay with you the whole time. The most she’s going to do is ask you to take off your shirt so she can look at your back. I’ve done it many times.”

Dan was going to have to undress!? In front of a stranger!?

“Dan,” Phil laughed. “It’s just your shirt. It’s not like she’s asking you to remove your pants as well. Come on.” He tugged Dan along, his feet dragging across the floor. 

Inside the office, Mia was standing next to the medical bed patiently, a smile on her face. “Will you close the door for me please? Thanks.”

When the door shut, Dan shuddered. He was stuck in here now with Phil blocking the only exit. He felt cramped in the room. Or maybe it was just Mia.

“Daniel, if you will please remove your shirt, we can get started and get done quicker.”

Dan gulped. No. No way was he-

“Dan,” Phil whispered, standing in front of his face, both hands cupping his cheeks. “You’re okay. I would never bring you here otherwise, yeah? This visit will be a breeze. She’s just going to look at you and maybe touch your back some. That’s all.”

Something stirred within Dan. It wasn’t a bad feeling or anything, but it was the same one he felt earlier when Phil was napping. A dull hum thrummed through his veins, itching to come out. 

“Dan? What are you-” But Phil never finished. He was too entranced looking at the white light that emit from Dan’s finger tips, lighting up the room.

“Wow,” Mia breathed, her eyes fluttering closed. “It feels . . .”

“Amazing,” Phil finished. Whatever Dan was doing, he was casting a soothing feeling from himself, his magic affecting Phil and Mia. It was  _ pure,  _ whole magic - something no one in this world had felt before. And it felt  _ amazing.  _ “Dan,” Phil breathed. “Easy.”

Dan wasn’t listening. He was too busy staring at his fingertips, wondering what the hell was happening. This had never happened before but it just felt so  _ right.  _ It felt good to finally release whatever was built up inside of him for so long, and he let his muscles and mind relax with the feeling. 

“Dan,” Phil tried again, doing his best to fight the soothing feeling, but finding it rather difficult to since it was so enticing. “You need to try to reign it in, Dan. Don’t let it consume you.” As great as it felt. Phil reached for him, grabbing his wrist lightly. “Please, baby,” he whispered. “You need to make it stop.”

“I . . . I can’t. I don’t . . . want to.” 

“I know. It’s hard. But you have to try. If you don’t, people outside will be able to feel it and then they’ll  _ know,  _ Dan. They’ll know for sure you’re the one who can stop the darkness. They’ll try to take you and  _ use  _ you, and-”

“Is that so bad?” Dan suddenly asked. “I could save your world. I could save everyone.”

Phil looked at him, stunned. Where was this coming from? It had to be an affect from his magic. It was calming him enough to talk about what he felt deep inside him. Phil found himself wanting to do the same. “At what cost, Dan? It would cost  _ you.  _ I won’t lose you again. Forever this time. I already felt it once, I won’t feel it again.” 

“But . . . this is my purpose. This is what I was born for.”

“You were born for me, Dan.” Tears stung his eyes, and he did nothing to prevent their fall. “You are mine and I am yours and I won’t let you destroy yourself for this world that has been so cruel to you. You deserve a life! You deserve a life with me.”

Dan was crying now, too. “If I don’t stop the darkness, then what life can we have? This world will be gone. Where would we live?”

“On earth!” Phil cried. “Somewhere! Anywhere, as long as I have you.”

“We will die on earth, Phil. It won’t matter, then. The only thing you would be doing is prolonging my life. Maybe I was never meant to live forever.” 

Phil’s breath caught. “Don’t you ever say that to me again, Daniel. You were meant for eternity.”

“I was meant to be the savior.” Dan was unsure why now, of all times, he was so ready to sacrifice himself to the darkness and save everything. Ever since Phil brought him here, he had been nothing but a scared, lost boy in a world humans only dreamed about. He had never been the sacrificing type, not in a million years. But now that he heard what the king had to say, how could he just sit here and do nothing? He was the only one who could do  _ something.  _ He could save Phil. He could let him live forever. Phil deserved a better life than the one he got these past twenty-four years.

“Exactly,” Phil whispered. “The savior. But the savior of what? Me? The world? We don’t know. You don’t know. Don’t let my father’s words get into your head. The magic is messing with you. Contain it.” 

Dan shook his head. “It’s making me  _ see,  _ Phil. It’s telling me what I need to do.”

“It’s not!” Phil yelled, his cheeks stained wet from tears. “You’re letting it control you! Fight it off, Dan. Make it stop!” He thought about using his own magic to help, but he knew his tainted magic would do nothing to the pure magic that flowed through Dan’s veins. Nothing could stop it. 

The urgency in Phil’s voice broke through, and Dan figured that he really  _ should  _ stop. He just didn’t know how. He never used magic before, let alone even knew he had it. “I don’t . . . know how,” he admitted through the calm. 

“You control  _ it,  _ Dan. Not the other way around. Grab it and take hold. Shove it back in the bottle it came out of.”

_ Easier said than done,  _ Dan thought, forgetting Phil could hear him even when he wasn’t verbally speaking.

“I know it’s hard, but you have to try.”

He did. Dan imagined himself taking control of his magic and putting back wherever it came from. The room slowly dimmed in light, and the white magic was no longer escaping from Dan’s fingertips, slowly retracting back into his body where it should be. He was out of breath and huffing slightly once it was all over, refusing to meet Phil’s eyes.

“Hey,” Phil whispered, tilting Dan’s head up by his chin. “You did good.”

Dan didn’t want to talk about what just happened, so he ignored Phil and said, “Can she just see why I don’t have wings? I want to go home.” 

Phil swallowed thickly and nodded his head, guiding him over to the examination table. The healer spoke to Dan, telling him what she was going to do, step by step, but he wasn’t listening. He was too caught up in everything that just happened. Everything he just said. He was meant to rid the world of darkness. It was his destiny. His fate. His magic screamed as much at him. He had to do it, even if Phil disapproved. 

He didn’t  _ want  _ to leave Phil. Not really. He  _ did  _ like him, and Phil didn’t deserve to lose him for the second time, possibly forever this time. But if Dan did nothing, his magic would go to waste, and they would have no world to live in. Earth, maybe, but Dan wouldn’t want to subject the angels to such a place. Not after they’ve been living like this for centuries. 

“ . . . may never develop wings,” the healer was saying when Dan snapped back into reality. “It won’t affect him any. He will just look different amongst us and will never fly, but he hasn’t all this time so it should be of no issue to him.”

Dan was lost. Why didn’t he have wings?

_ Because the earth’s atmosphere destroyed the material they are made out of,  _ Phil supplied in Dan’s head, knowing he hadn’t been listening.  _ It’s too polluted.   _

Oh. So that was why. He didn’t mind one way or another if he had wings or not. At this point, it would be too weird for him to suddenly develop some. 

“It’s odd, but not life threatening,” she finished. “He’s fine.” 

Phil’s shoulders sagged in relief. The only thing he was upset about was the fact that it would upset Dan to be different than everyone else. He would be the only one walking and be the only one with the inability to fly.

“Don’t pity me,” Dan mumbled. “I can feel it.” He hopped off the table and made for the door, despite not knowing how to get back home. 

_ Damn it,  _ Phil scolded mentally He forgot Dan could feel him now, and he made the mistake of thinking that way. He didn’t love Dan any less because of his dissimilar appearances. “Dan-”

“Let’s just go home,” he sighed. “I’ve had enough for today.” He felt weak and tired, and could only assume that was from the sudden burst of magic he let loose. He didn’t realize it took so much out of him. How could he banish the darkness if he could barely stand after using one percent of his magic? He wasn’t strong enough to cast it away. It would take years of training to do that, but now he only had weeks at best. 

If not less.

He let Phil guide him home, neither of them saying anything. Not even as they walked through the front door, or when Dan collapsed onto the sofa and kicked off his shoes. Dan could feel Phil’s guilt wafting through him. He wanted to tell him that it was alright, and that he didn’t have to feel guilty about the things he said. After all, they were true. He just didn’t feel like speaking right now. To anyone. 

His eyes drifted shut moments later, and he let sleep claim him for the umpteenth time in the past few days. Most would think he’s depressed, but only he knows that it’s the magic inside him, wearing him out. Each day it eats at him, building up for its final release.

The final release being at the darkness to get rid of it. He just didn’t know if it would get rid of him, too.


	11. Chapter 11

“Dan? Dan, you need to wake up.” Phil shook him gently, upset that he had to disturb his sleep. “You have slept for nearly a day now. I hate to wake you, but you need to get up and moving. Eat something. Shower. Anything.” 

Dan rolled over with a groan. He didn’t  _ want  _ to get up. He was so tired . . . 

“Dan!” Phil said louder this time. “Don’t make me use magic to get you up.”

“You might have to resort to that,” Dan mumbled, pushing his face into the pillow. “So tired.” 

Phil looked at him, perplexed. How could Dan be so tired all the time? Something wasn’t right. He should have asked the healer to look at that, too, but Dan’s magic episode kind of clouded any further examinations. “Are you feeling okay?”

“No.”

Phil was shocked Dan admitted that so freely. So far, he’s tried to bottle everything away. “Oh. Um . . . Do you want me to see if there’s anything I can do?”

Dan shook his head, not daring to look at Phil. “This isn’t a problem you can fix.”

“So you know what’s bothering you?” Phil asked. 

“Yes.” 

It was clear that Dan wasn’t going to share unless prompted, so Phil asked, “What is it?”

“My magic,” Dan replied. “It’s too much.” 

Phil took a deep breath. He knew how to cure that, and Dan would have to use his magic, but he would have to use a lot of it. Phil wasn’t sure Dan’s body could handle that. He had only used magic once, and that was draining enough. So much so, Dan slept for almost a whole day. “I’m sorry.”  _ For not being able to fix it. _

“Not your fault,” Dan mumbled.

Phil forgot Dan could hear his thoughts when he wasn’t carefully hiding them. “I’m sorry for that, too. And I’m sorry for being selfish,” he admitted. “I just . . . I can’t see you give yourself up for a place that owes you nothing. The world hasn’t been kind to you. It’s unfair.”

Dan smiled sadly. “If there’s one thing on earth that I’ve learned, it’s that life isn’t fair. To anyone. Some things can’t be helped, and I’m beginning to think this is one of them.”

Tears blurred Phil’s vision, but he refused to let them fall. “If life is unfair to you, then it’s going to be unfair to me. I won’t let you do this alone.”

“You don’t want me to do it at all,” Dan retorted. 

“No, but I can’t stop you. I won’t stop you from doing what you want. But, Dan, if this is my father’s words eating at you, please don’t do this. Don’t let him mess with your head.”

Dan snorted into the pillow. “It’s not him. He shed some light on things, sure, but my magic thrums inside of me, Phil. It’s been dormant for so long and now that it’s been used, there’s no stopping it. If I don’t stop the darkness, then my magic will stop me. It’s too strong. I can’t carry it for long. It will literally destroy me from the inside out.” 

The tears in Phil’s eyes fell. How could pure magic be so deadly? It was supposed to  _ help.  _ It wasn’t supposed to kill. “I won’t let it destroy you, Dan. I won’t.” 

“Then I need to get rid of it,” Dan said quietly. “Like I was meant to.”

“But . . . What if it kills you then, too? What if there’s no way for you to live but on earth? I’m not sure I can take the chance.” 

Dan sighed to himself. “This isn’t your choice to make.” He didn’t want to say it, but he had to. It seemed to be the only way to get Phil to listen. He sat up, angling himself to face Phil. “You’re my  _ mate.  _ Not my mum or dad. You don’t get to tell me what to do anymore.” He smiled lightly. “You never really got to tell me what to do anyway, since you were never given the chance, but I’m far too old to just be told no. I don’t want to do this either, believe me. If I didn’t have to, I don’t think I would. Not right away, at least. I don’t even know how to  _ use  _ magic. It was an accident last time.” 

“What would I do without you? I would have no reason to live. I would have nothing and no one,” Phil told him.

“That’s not true. You have a whole kingdom here. Everyone loves you. You have your family at the palace, even if you’re mad at them, they’re still there. You’ve lived this long without me. I have no doubt that you can do it again.” 

The tears spilled down Phil’s cheeks, hitting the floor with a silent splash. He shook his head. He wouldn’t be able to live without Dan. Half of his soul would break into pieces, leaving half of him lonely and broken. “It’s not the same. You were alive all these years. I was still whole. We are two halves that make a person. If you die, most of me does, too. I don’t want to live as a broken man.”

“I’m sorry, Phil.” Tears fell from Dan’s eyes, too. This wasn’t easy for him, either. His magic was too strong for his body. If he didn’t get rid of it now, it would get rid of itself. Deep down inside him, he felt that if maybe he got rid of the darkness like destiny demanded, that everything might be okay. He didn’t want to tell Phil he had a feeling, just in case he was wrong. It would give him too much hope, and he didn’t want all of that to shatter. “I don’t want this anymore than you do. But you have to let me go. You have to let me try.” 

“At least let me come with you. I don’t want you to do this alone.” 

Dan shook his head. “I don’t want you to get hurt. I can’t control my magic. What if it-”

“Then I don’t care,” Phil cut in. “I want to be with you. Until the very end.” 

Dan reached out, grasping Phil’s hand in his. “Until the very end,” he repeated, squeezing Phil’s hand.


	12. Chapter 12

A couple days had passed, and Phil could tell Dan felt like shit. He walked slowly around the house, using the walls for support. He would take his time eating and nap more often.  Still, he could never quite understand  _ why  _ his magic was doing this to him. He wasn’t the first person ever with pure magic - just the first in a really,  _ really  _ long time. None of these symptoms had ever been recorded with pure magic. In fact, pure magic  _ healed.  _ It didn’t destroy. So why was it destroying Dan?

“I need to get rid of this, Phil,” Dan groaned later that evening, pressing a hand to his stomach. 

Phil bit his lip. He wanted to get rid of it, too, just not like this. He had spent the last few days looking for another way, but came out empty handed. The only way to cure it was to expel it, so it seemed. “I know. I’m sorry.” 

“Please,” Dan whined. “Make it stop.” 

Phil had already tried using his healing abilities on Dan, which led to nothing. It had no effect on him whatsoever. “I wish I could, Dan. I really do.” Seeing his mate in so much pain hurt him greatly. He just wanted to take all that pain away. If he could trade places with him, he would.

“Let me get rid of it. Please, Phil. I can’t keep it in forever.” 

This wasn’t a decision Phil wanted to make anytime soon, but he couldn’t stand seeing Dan in such a state anymore. He had his time with him. It wasn’t as much as he hoped for, but when it came down to it, he rather have a few days than none at all. “Okay,” he whispered. 

Dan sighed in relief. “It will be okay, Phil.” Somehow, he knew it was true.

“You don’t know that. Do you even know what to do? How to . . . get rid of it?” 

“No.” 

Phil froze. “You expect me to just let you go out there to it and . . . I don’t even know what! Hope for the best?” 

Dan suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. “It’s either I die here or try to save the world. Which sounds better?” 

Even Phil knew what the best option here was, but he couldn’t help being selfish. “Just . . . one more night, Dan, please. We can do it in the morning.” 

Dan bit his lower lip.  _ Come here,  _ he thought.

Phil looked up at the demand, walking over to where Dan rested on the couch. He let Dan’s arms engulf him and they cuddled on the couch for a long time. Eventually Phil dozed off, and Dan couldn’t have been more relieved. Who knows how long it’s been since he actually slept?

He knew Phil wanted him to wait until the morning for one last night together, but his magic was building up too quickly. It was going to release soon, and Dan wasn’t sure he could make it to the morning. He hated to do this to Phil, but this was his only chance. 

Very slowly, he untangled himself from Phil, doing his very best not to wake him. He wouldn’t be able to get away then. However, Phil must have been very tired since he didn’t so much as crack open an eye when Dan got up off the couch, and walked through the house to the bathroom.

Lately, he had been avoiding looking at himself in the mirror, knowing he would look just about as good as he feels, which is like shit. This time, he couldn’t help but take a peek. He had bags under his eyes, and his skin appeared to have lost color. He was pale enough as it was, but he looked sickly. Dan looked away then, deciding he had seen enough of himself. He used the restroom and debated on the best course of action to leave the house. He couldn’t very well use the front door. Phil would most definitely wake up then.

He looked around the room, stopping when his eyes skimmed over the window beside the shower. It was perfectly big enough for him to squeeze through. So that’s exactly what he was going to do.

Dan unlatched it and pushed it outwards, using the toilet to hoist himself up. It wasn’t a far drop (thank god) down, as long as he landed well on the ground, he should be fine. 

He didn’t account for his weak state when he landed, landing completely on his side and crushing his arm. He bit back a cry of pain. Luckily, it just hurt like hell. He could still move it and use it.

He got up off the ground, his magic stirring. He had the urge to let some of it loose, but he wasn’t sure if he would be able to reign it back in this time. Dan thought he better save it when he was near the darkness at least.

Unsure of where to even begin, he stumbled to the front of the house and looked in the direction of the darkness. It was coming closer and closer. It looked bad when he first arrived, but now it was even worse. The king must not be able to hold it back much longer. 

Dan began walking in the general direction of the darkness, deciding he would get as close to it as he could before he tried anything. He felt terrible for leaving Phil while he slept, but his magic had been whispering for him to get up and do it. It was literally destroying him by staying inside, and now was the time to let it go.

He had little knowledge on how to navigate this world, so he let his gut guide him. It took him to the field of lavender, where all life here begins. The darkness had managed to spread to the edge of the field, across from where Dan stood. His magic stirred upon seeing it, the scent of lavender filling his nose.

Dan briefly wondered if Phil had noticed he was gone yet, and decided that he probably hadn't. If he did, Phil knew how to locate him and would be here by now surely. 

Dan took one step into the field, and instantly, his magic flared up. The browns of his eyes glew white, and he felt the magic heat up inside him. He was ready. This is what he was meant to do.

_ “DAN!”  _ a voice shrieked, followed by a loud flapping of wings. The lavender swayed from the wind of them. “Dan, stop!” Phil landed on the ground with a thud, tears streaked down his face. He looked at Dan, who didn't look like Dan at all. His eyes were taken up by a bright, white light, and he stood with confidence. Like he knew what he was doing, despite not ever having used magic before. 

“Phil,” Dan said calmly, looking over Phil's tense figure. “Let me go.”

“I can't! I won't!” Phil shouted angrily. He wasn't mad at Dan, he was mad at the universe. How could it do this to him? To them? 

“It's too late, Phil,” Dan told him. “I have to do this. You'll be okay.”

Phil shook his head, falling to his knees. “Not without you. You said we would do this together. Tomorrow. Why did you lie?”

Tears tracked down Dan's cheeks now. “I didn't mean to. I couldn't hang on anymore. It has to go.”

Whether Dan meant the darkness or his magic, Phil didn't know. “Dan, no!” Phil screamed, watching as the magic burst from Dan's finger tips, illuminating the land before them. The light was so bright, Phil could see nothing but white. He couldn’t see Dan or hear him, and it worried him immensely. He couldn’t even  _ feel  _ Dan or read his thoughts. It was just like when he went missing. Panic clawed through every fiber of Phil’s being as he searched for Dan through the light. “DAN!” he screamed. “Where are you!? Dan!” 

But there was nothing.

Phil crashed to his knees, weeping and wailing. He had lost Dan again. For good this time. He knew he would never see him again. Hope was shattered.

What felt like an eternity to Phil, actually only took minutes, and soon enough, the light was dimming, allowing Phil to see again. He still had to squint some, but when he saw Dan lying on the ground peacefully, he wasted no time rushing over to him, stumbling and falling down to his side. “Dan, Dan, no, please, wake up,  _ please.”  _ He shook Dan, tilting his head and cradling it on his lap. “You can’t do this to me. Not again. I can’t lose you.” 

When Dan didn’t so much as move, Phil leaned down and pressed his ear to Dan’s chest, listening. Barely could he hear the sound of Dan’s beating heart, which was fighting to keep going. Phil pressed his hands on Dan’s chest, willing his healing magic to fix Dan, but it could find nothing to heal. It was as if he was already perfectly healthy. But he sure didn’t look it.

The light had completely faded now, and when Phil looked up, he saw no darkness. It was all . . . gone. The sun was beginning to rise, casting a light over this area of land that hadn’t been seen for so long. The lavender field bristled in delight, the color of each stem brightening.

“Phil?” a deep, familiar voice said, causing him to jump. 

When Phil turned around, he saw his father and his army, all looking at Dan and him. “Father,” Phil said quietly, looking back down at Dan, tears falling on him.

The king walked over to Phil, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I didn’t want this for you, son. You must believe me.” 

As much as Phil hated to admit it, he did. He believed his father. “I know.” 

“Allow me,” the king said, bending down to pick up Dan. “He is still alive, isn’t he?”

“For now,” Phil choked out. 

“And he will stay that way. We will rush him to the palace and he will be treated by my healers. They will do everything in their power to keep him here with you.” He unfurled his wings, preparing to take flight. “Ready?” 

Phil nodded, tears still filling his eyes. When his father took off, so did he, and they soared back to the palace, getting there in minutes.

Once inside, they took him to the western wing, which was hardly ever in use. Phil had stayed here once upon a time, and Dan would have to, but . . . 

The king laid Dan down on the bed, the healers immediately getting to work. Even though Phil had already tried to heal him, he said nothing. Maybe they could find something that he couldn’t. After all, they were expert healers. Phil only knew how to heal scrapes and bruises at best.

The healers went over him all at once, then individually, and repeated the same process three times. Each time left them empty handed. 

“He seems to be in perfect health,” one of them said. “There is physically nothing wrong with the prince.” 

Phil bit his lip, resisting the urge to lash out at the healers. If he were perfectly fine, he would be awake, wouldn’t he? Something was wrong. There had to be a reason as to why he wasn’t waking up. 

“The best we can do is make him comfortable and wait. I know you have waited all your life, Prince Philip, but this is all we can do for him right now. I’m sorry.” 

Phil nodded his head. He supposed this was better than death. At least Dan had a chance of survival. Still, that didn’t make things any less bearable. 

The healers had taken a more human approach to his recovery, thinking it might be better for Dan since he spent so much time on earth. When they hooked up something called an IV, Phil even had to be held back and reassured that it wasn’t hurting him. He nearly unleashed magic on the healers at the sight of the needle alone, and again when it pierced Dan’s skin.

“It doesn’t hurt, prince,” one said. “He can’t feel it unless he tugs on it, and even then, it doesn’t hurt. It just feels odd. This is helping him. I swear it.” 

Days went by and still nothing happened. Dan would sigh heavily every now and then, sometimes even turn his head to one side, but he never woke, never rolled over. It was like he was comatose, and Phil didn’t know what he would do if Dan never woke. He couldn’t bear to see him like this for eternity. He needed to see the browns of his eyes; to hear his voice. 

The first week was the hardest, though the second week wasn’t much better. Phil hardly ever left Dan’s bedside, only getting up to grab something to eat (when his stomach absolutely demanded it) or to use the restroom. He gripped Dan’s hand tightly, never letting go.

About halfway through the third week, Dan stirred more than usual. His lips parted and his fingers twitched, offering Phil a sign of hope.

“Please come back to me, Dan. I need you. I need to hear you talk. I need to hear you laugh. I only ever heard it once. I plan on hearing it more. You owe me that. The world owes me that.” He squeezed Dan’s hand, tears welling in his eyes. “Please.” 

It was during the fourth week when Phil went to use the bathroom, that Dan’s eyes opened. He moved his fingers and toes, slowly moving his arms and feeling something tug on his right arm. Dan looked down, seeing a needle taped into skin. He reached down to yank it out when a hand clamped down on his, preventing him. 

“Dan?” Phil whispered, afraid to say anything in case he ruined everything. 

Dan swallowed thickly, his throat drier than a desert. “Phil?” 

Phil sighed in relief, tears spilling down his face. He leaned down and hugged Dan, crying into his shoulder. “You’re okay,” he sobbed. 

“I’m okay,” Dan agreed, trying to hug him back but wincing when he felt the needle in his arm move. “I want this out.” He tried to grab it again, but Phil wouldn’t let him.

“No, leave it in. I don’t want you to take it out in case you fall back asleep again.”

Dan suppressed the urge to laugh. “Phil, it’s just an IV. It’s not going to kill me to take it out.” He tried to get it out for a third time, but Phil wasn’t having it.

“Dan,  _ please,”  _ Phil begged. “You have been out for nearly a month I’m not going to risk-”

“A month?” Dan asked quietly, cutting Phil off. “I’ve been asleep for a whole . . . month?” 

Phil nodded his head. “Yeah.” The word came out choked. He pushed away Dan’s hair, which badly needed to be cut. “I’m sorry. We tried everything but they just said to let nature run its course. I didn’t want to but I didn’t know what else to do.” 

Wow. A whole month!? It felt like only a night, two at most. How could a whole month go by and him not even know it? For some reason, tears filled his eyes. 

“What’s wrong, Dan?” Phil asked. “You don’t have to be sad. You saved everyone. You saved  _ us.  _ The darkness is gone. You got rid of it and  _ lived.  _ You’re back to me now.” 

“I don’t know,” Dan admitted, tears spilling down his cheeks. “I . . . I can’t feel anything like before. I have no . . . magic.” He didn’t even know he had it up until a while ago, but now that it was gone, he felt . . . empty. Not right. 

Phil knitted his brows. “You’re magic is gone?”

“Yeah.” 

“I’m sorry, Dan. I didn’t know it would-”

“It’s fine,” Dan said, cutting him off. “It just feels weird.” He didn’t care if he had magic one way or another. In fact, he felt so much better now that it wasn’t inside of him. 

Phil’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Other than that, are you feeling okay?” 

“I think so.” In fact, Dan felt like he had before he found out what he was - who he was. He felt . . . like he had for twenty-four years. It was relieving, to say the least.

“I can find a way to get it back. I’m sure-”

“Phil,” Dan said, chuckling a bit. “Stop. I’m fine, really. After these last few days, I’m perfectly fine with having no magic again ever.” 

Phil didn’t want to say anything, but Dan’s feelings on his first day here plagued him. “Won’t you feel like . . . an outcast?” He didn’t want Dan to feel like that again. Not if he could help it.

Dan simply shrugged. “There was nothing ever ordinary about me, was there? I’ll always be an outcast here. I’ll always be the boy who was taken away from the prince and returned years later to rid this world of darkness.” 

“Really? Because you’ll always be Dan to me.”

Dan rolled his eyes, smiling. His dimples were showing, and that was a sight Phil never wanted to lose. “But did I really do it?” Dan asked quietly. “The darkness is really gone?” 

“It is,” Phil confirmed. “You should see the land. It’s . . . bright. Alive. Thriving. All because of you. Everyone is so amazed, Dan. There are crowds of people out front the palace, waiting to thank you. They have been there for weeks, waiting for the news about you.” 

The idea baffled Dan. “Why? I’m just . . . me.”

“You’re not just  _ you,”  _ Phil told him, bopping him on the nose, seeing his smile again. “You are a prince.  _ Their  _ prince. And you just saved everyone. You saved our world. You are more than ‘just Dan’ to them. You always will be.” 

Dan looked across the room at the window, biting his lower lip. “Don’t you think you should tell them then?”

Phil smiled. “Maybe I should leave that up to you.” 

Hours later, when the healers deemed Dan healthy again, they removed his IV and got him walking. Dan needed help walking, which Phil was more than glad to assist with. He didn’t realize not walking for this long would affect him so greatly.

They made their way to the palace doors, pausing before the guards opened them. Phil looked at Dan and asked, “Are you ready?” 

Dan swallowed thickly, opening his mouth to say yes, but stopping short to say something else. “Wait.”

“What is it? We don’t have to do this now if you-”

“Hush,” Dan laughed, turning his head to face Phil. “I just wanted to do this first.” He leaned forward, pressing his chapped lips to Phil’s smooth ones, tasting him. He pulled away slowly, cheeks red. “That’s for never giving up on me. I know these past weeks have been hard, but if you give me some time, I think I can improve on that.” 

Phil, dazed, managed to say, “That was perfect.” 

Dan smiled, turning his head to face the doors. “I’m ready.” He squint against the light as the doors were opened, and welcomed the onslaught of cheers from the crowd outside.


	13. Chapter 13

Two months later, the two had gone back to Phil’s small home to live. They could have very well stayed at the palace, but after three days of nothing but bustle, Dan couldn’t take it anymore. It was too much activity for him, and he had to get out. 

So they went back home.

It was evening when Dan was outside, fiddling with some lavender that had started to grow beside their home. He wasn’t doing anything to it really when all the sudden, the plants started to outstretch towards his fingertips, bristling when they touched.

Dan jerked his hand away, gasping at the sudden contact. 

“Dan? Dan, are you okay?” Phil was around the corner in a second, worry etched on his face. 

“I’m fine,” Dan said, smiling softly at Phil’s concern. “This was just . . . weird.”

“What was?” Phil asked, coming up alongside him.

“This,” Dan replied, watching the lavender dance along his hand. “It feels like . . . magic.” 

Phil looked down, perplexed. Dan said he didn’t feel the magic in him anymore, but now he felt it again? It took him a moment before realizing . . . “Dan, do that same thing, but with something else.”

“Uh, okay?” Dan stood up, heading over to a nearby tree. He lifted his arm up, watching as the leaves danced along his palm. “It feels the same. Like magic.” 

Phil broke out in a grin. “Dan, I think you still have magic, just not in the same way as before.”

Dan frowned. “What does that mean?”

“Your magic spread across the land. I think it somehow imbedded into the world. You can wield the world, Dan!” 

“No way,” Dan laughed. “Do you know how absurd that sounds?”

“Very, but it’s true. You can make the land bend to you. Oh my gosh, Dan, that’s amazing! You always were but this - this is incredible!” 

Dan couldn’t help but snicker. “I could destroy all of you with this knowledge, you know.”

Phil rolled his eyes. “But you won’t. I won’t let you.” 

“Oh, I didn’t know I needed your approval for things,” Dan teased. 

“Mmmhmm, and there’s only one thing you don’t need it for.” 

Dan arched a brow. “Oh yeah, and what’s that?”

“This.” Phil leaned in and kissed him on the lips. “I love you. So much.” 

“I know.” When Phil pushed him, Dan laughed. “I love you too.” 

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Phil whispered, pressing his forehead to Dan’s. “And before you say it, I know I tell you everyday, but I mean it. And I’ll never stop saying it.” 

“That’s okay,” Dan told him. “Because it reminds me that you are, too. We are okay, aren’t we?” 

“Forever,” Phil promised. 

“Forever,” Dan repeated, kissing Phil again until the sun had sunk below the horizon. His life had been far from perfect, but this was beginning to look like the start of it. As long as he had Phil - his mate - he would always be okay. He would always be perfect.


End file.
